In an unprecedented show of parliamentary assertiveness, the Kenyan Senate’s County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) has formally summoned Inspector General of Police David Kanja for allegedly flouting a Senate directive to arrest and produce Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit before lawmakers. The action, delivered on January 26 at Bunge Towers, marks a severe escalation in the standoff over oversight of county finances and constitutional authority.
Senator Moses Kajwang’, chair of CPAC, said the police chief’s repeated failure to execute the Senate’s arrest instruction undermines Parliament’s constitutional role and sets a dangerous precedent for future oversight.
“The Inspector General of Police should appear before this Committee within the next seven days to explain why he is unwilling to implement the resolutions of Parliament,” Kajwang’ stated, warning of further accountability measures if the summons is ignored.
The summons stems from Governor Lelelit’s defiance of multiple invitations to explain how billions of shillings allocated to Samburu County in the 2023/24 financial year were spent. After ignoring a December 4, 2025 hearing and being fined Sh500,000, the Senate directed the police on December 9 to locate, arrest, and produce him before December 18.
The Inspector General responded that officers could not trace the governor’s location, a claim senators now challenge after evidence surfaced that Lelelit attended a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) National Governing Council meeting at State House on the scheduled hearing day.
CPAC has since reiterated orders for the IG to intensify efforts to produce the governor, including for a rescheduled appearance on February 3, 2026. However, Kanja failed again to comply, prompting senators to accuse him of contempt of Parliament and possible collusion.
“We can only enforce accountability if the IG honors resolutions of Parliament,” said CPAC vice-chair Senator Johnes Mwaruma. Senator Edwin Sifuna described the situation as “pure contempt.”
As tensions escalate between Parliament and the security hierarchy, this confrontation raises urgent questions about the balance of power, the enforceability of Senate directives, and the future of oversight in Kenya’s devolved governance architecture.
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