The ongoing political conflict in Kenya, which involves devolved leaders fighting against Parliament, reached a new level when Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja issued a warning that governors who refuse to attend Senate oversight committees will face arrest because he made a statement that created an intergovernmental crisis.
The announcement was made amid rising tensions over accountability demands and county appearances before the Senate’s Public Accounts Committee (CPAC).
Kanja explained the NPS duty to assist Parliament in establishing accountability during his media and legislative address on Thursday. The state breaks down when county officials refuse to follow Senate requirements because they must answer Senate orders.
The Senate CPAC heard Kanja explain that the service stands ready to execute arrests of governors who fail to comply with committee summons. The NPS will support legal action and investigations against any county governor suspected of public fund misappropriation according to audit reports.
The explosive warning comes just days after the Council of Governors (CoG) declared a boycott of CPAC sessions, arguing that some Senate oversight committees have engaged in “intimidation, harassment, and humiliation” of governors during audit hearings—a charge the Senate has vigorously denied. CoG claims also include alleged misconduct by several senators, adding fuel to a bitter standoff.
The Senate made its official position known through its legal powers, which allow legislative committees to force witnesses to testify, while they can implement penalties for noncompliance through fines and arrest orders.
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