NAIROBI, Kenya — The Senate has rejected accusations by county governors that some senators are extorting money during audit hearings, warning that governors cannot evade constitutional oversight by issuing boycott threats or placing conditions on accountability.
In a press release issued on February 10, 2026, the Senate said allegations of extortion and harassment made by the Council of Governors (CoG) were unsubstantiated and could not justify the suspension of appearances before Senate oversight committees.
The Senate reaffirmed that oversight of county governments is a constitutional mandate under Article 96 of the Constitution, exercised on behalf of the public to protect county interests and ensure the prudent use of public funds.
It said any claims of misconduct by senators should be formally reported to relevant investigative and disciplinary bodies, rather than used to obstruct audit processes.
“The Senate cannot abdicate its constitutional responsibility on the basis of unproven allegations,” the statement said, adding that parliamentary oversight must proceed within the law and without intimidation.
The Senate’s response followed a sharp escalation in tensions after governors, meeting at a retreat earlier this week, announced they would boycott the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) and limit appearances before the Public Investments Committee.
In their statement, governors accused some senators of continuous and escalating extortion, political witch-hunts, harassment, intimidation, and humiliation during audit hearings, describing the engagements as “hostile, punitive, and degrading.”
“The Council of Governors has raised concern over the conduct of certain Senate Committees, citing cases of extortion and intimidation of governors during oversight engagements,” the CoG said, resolving not to appear before CPAC until the matter is addressed through structured engagement with Senate leadership.
Governors further argued that repeated summons disrupt county operations and transform oversight into political theatre, rather than constructive accountability.
The standoff hardened after Senate Public Accounts Committee chairperson Moses Kajwang publicly dismissed the governors’ claims, accusing them of attempting to escape scrutiny over the management of public funds.
“They want to choose who sits in the committees, when they should appear, and how they should be questioned. I have never seen a case where suspects demand to empanel the bench,” Kajwang said, rejecting claims of extortion as baseless.
Kajwang cited Articles 229 and 125 of the Constitution, which empower Parliament to consider Auditor-General reports and summon any person to give evidence, insisting that accountability is a constitutional duty owed to the public, not a favour to legislators.
He invited governors to submit any evidence of alleged extortion or misconduct by senators to the appropriate authorities, but said Senate oversight would continue regardless.
The Senate press release echoed that position, stressing that audit scrutiny cannot be negotiated or boycotted, and warning that undermining oversight risks eroding transparency and public confidence in devolved governance.
Governors, however, maintain that their dispute is not with the Senate as an institution but with the conduct of specific legislators.
CoG chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi and several county leaders insist that some senators have abused oversight powers for personal or political gain, a claim the Senate strongly denies.
