NAIROBI, Kenya — Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is facing the threat of arrest after failing to appear before a Senate committee for nearly seven months without explanation, prompting lawmakers to issue what they termed a final summons.
The Senate Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs, and Human Rights on Thursday directed the Nairobi governor to appear on May 7 to respond to questions over alleged unlawful evictions in Old Ngara in 2025, warning that failure to comply would trigger enforcement action.
Committee chair Hillary Sigei said the panel had written to Sakaja twice without receiving any response, terming the prolonged absence unacceptable.
“We have written to the governor twice and waited seven months without so much as a reason for his absence. This committee will not be ignored,” Sigei said.
“I want it on record, this is the final summons. The governor must appear before us on May 7. If he fails to honour this summons, we will instruct the Inspector General of Police to facilitate his arrest and bring him before this committee,” he added.
The directive places Douglas Kanja on notice to enforce compliance should the governor fail to appear.
The summons stems from a statement filed in October 2025 by nominated senator Catherine Mumma, who raised concerns over what she described as forceful evictions of residents from Old Ngara Estate on May 14 and June 18, 2025.
According to submissions before the committee, the evictions were allegedly carried out despite a conservatory order issued by the court on May 30, 2025, barring such action.
Affidavits presented to the committee claim that county officials, accompanied by unidentified individuals, broke into homes, ransacked property, looted valuables, and forcibly removed tenants while court orders were still in force. The committee said the claims require urgent clarification from the county leadership.
Committee member Veronica Maina backed the resolution, emphasizing the need to uphold parliamentary authority. “It must be crystal clear that this is the final summons and that sanctions will follow. The Inspector General of Police should be put on notice to facilitate compliance,” she said.
The developments come weeks after a separate Senate committee, the County Public Accounts Committee, also recommended enforcement action against Sakaja over failure to honour its summons.
Police reportedly surrounded the governor’s offices on March 30 to effect an arrest, but he was not present at the time.
The standoff underscores growing tensions between county governments and Senate oversight committees, particularly on matters involving accountability, governance, and adherence to court orders.
As the May 7 deadline approaches, attention now turns to whether the Nairobi governor will comply with the summons or risk escalation into a constitutional and legal showdown with Parliament.
