By Ongaga Ongaga
Governors have escalated their standoff with the Senate, accusing the National Police Service of colluding with senators in what they termed a politically driven attempt to embarrass county bosses.
Speaking during a press conference at the Council of Governors headquarters in Nairobi, the county chiefs claimed there was no lawful arrest warrant issued against Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
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They argued that police officers deployed at City Hall were acting on a letter from the Senate Clerk to the Inspector General of Police, rather than on a court-sanctioned warrant.
Under established procedure, governors noted, such action should only follow formal resolutions of a Senate committee and be backed by duly issued warrants from the Inspector General.
The Council of Governors (CoG) maintained that in this instance, no such warrants existed, suggesting that officers acted on verbal instructions or their own initiative—raising concerns over due process and abuse of power.
The governors reiterated their decision to boycott the Senate Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), insisting they will not appear before it until four unnamed senators they accuse of running an extortion ring step aside.
CoG Chair and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi described the attempted night arrest of Sakaja as evidence of a “system breakdown,” alleging improper coordination between sections of the Senate and the police service.
“This points to a system where institutions that should be independent appear to be working in concert,” he said.
The governors also criticised Senate Speaker Amason Kingi for failing to intervene and provide leadership, despite requests for dialogue to resolve the impasse.
Extortion Claims and Push for Dialogue
The CoG further claimed it possesses evidence of extortion by the senators in question but has withheld it from the public, saying it is ready to submit the material directly to the Speaker if granted an opportunity for engagement.
According to the governors, resistance to a proposed meeting stems from fears that the evidence could be damaging.
They are now calling on Speaker Kingi to convene a meeting with all parties to de-escalate tensions and restore institutional order.
The standoff underscores deepening tensions between county governments and the Senate over oversight roles, particularly in the handling of public finances.
It also raises fresh questions about the independence of the National Police Service (NPS) and adherence to constitutional safeguards in enforcing Senate summons.
