Senate watchdog committee chair dismisses Council of Governors’ boycott threat, insisting county chiefs must answer to audit queries regardless of political stance.

The simmering standoff between the Senate and the Council of Governors (CoG) has boiled over, with Senator Moses Kajwang firing a warning shot at county bosses. Responding to the CoG’s threat to boycott Senate summons, the Chairperson of the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) was unequivocal: accountability is not optional. "Governors cannot choose the bench," Kajwang declared, emphasizing that the Senate’s oversight role is constitutionally protected and cannot be held hostage by political tantrums.

The Accountability showdown

The conflict arose after the CoG accused the Senate committee of overreach and political witch-hunts, threatening to snub future invitations to answer audit queries. However, Kajwang dismissed these claims as deflection tactics used to evade scrutiny over the misuse of public funds. "If you have nothing to hide, you have no reason to fear the Senate," he argued. The Homa Bay Senator insisted that the committee acts on the Auditor General’s reports, not on personal vendettas.

• Constitutional Duty: Kajwang reminded the governors that Article 96 of the Constitution mandates the Senate to protect counties and their governments. This protection, he noted, includes ensuring that the billions sent to the devolved units are used for the benefit of the people, not lined in pockets.
• The Boycott Threat: The CoG's boycott strategy puts them on a collision course with the law. The Senate has the powers of a High Court to summon witnesses, and ignoring these summonses could lead to arrest warrants—a spectacle that would deepen the crisis between the two levels of government.

No Sacred Cows

The CPAC chair maintained that his committee would continue its schedule of hearings, with or without the governors' cooperation. "We will not be intimidated," Kajwang stated. The hardline stance signals that the Senate is ready to escalate the matter if governors make good on their threat.

For the Kenyan taxpayer, this clash is more than political drama; it is a battle for the soul of devolution. As Kajwang puts it, you cannot demand more money for counties while refusing to account for what you have already received.