The Council of Governors (CoG) has declared an all-out war on the Senate, demanding the immediate removal of Senators Edwin Sifuna and Samson Cherargei from the oversight committee over grave allegations of extortion and targeted harassment.

This constitutional standoff threatens to paralyze the critical oversight machinery of devolution. By refusing to appear before the committee, the governors are drawing a red line, suggesting that the Senate’s watchdog role has mutated into a tool for rent-seeking and political settling of scores, a charge that strikes at the heart of Kenya’s integrity institutions. The allegations are explosive, painting the Senate not as a house of reason, but as a den of extortionists.

The Charges Sheet

The CoG has singled out four senators—Sifuna (Nairobi), Cherargei (Nandi), Moses Kajwang (Homa Bay), and Johnes Mwaruma (Taita Taveta)—accusing them of turning the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) into a kangaroo court. The governors allege that these senators use the committee summons to intimidate county chiefs who refuse to yield to their financial demands.

"We will not honor their summons," the CoG statement read, effectively instituting a boycott that halts the accountability process. The governors argue that they are being subjected to "political witch hunts" rather than legitimate audit queries.

• The Extortion Claim: The most damaging allegation is that senators are demanding bribes to "go slow" on audit queries, a practice that, if true, criminalizes the oversight process.
• The Boycott: The decision to cease appearance before CPAC creates a constitutional crisis, as the Senate has the legal mandate to summon governors. This will likely head to the courts for interpretation.
• Political Undertones: With Sifuna and Cherargei being vocal and often abrasive figures, their targeting by the governors also carries the flavor of political pushback against their rising profiles.

A System on Trial

This conflict exposes the structural weaknesses in Kenya’s devolution accountability framework. If the overseers themselves are corrupt, who watches the watchmen? Conversely, if governors can simply boycott oversight by alleging bias, how can public funds be safeguarded?

The Senate leadership must move swiftly to investigate these claims. If the senators are guilty, they must be removed to restore the sanctity of the house. If the governors are creating a smokescreen to hide theft, they must be compelled to account.

Oversight cannot be a cloak for oppression, nor can immunity be a shield for plunder.