Senators sitting in the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) have firmly pushed back against governors who have threatened to boycott committee summons, insisting that oversight is a constitutional obligation that cannot be avoided.
The standoff follows a decision by the Council of Governors (CoG) to suspend appearances before CPAC, accusing some senators of intimidation and public humiliation during audit hearings.
On Tuesday, senators censured the move while questioning Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu, warning that governors cannot opt out of accountability processes. CPAC chairperson Moses Kajwang’ said scrutiny of county spending is a duty owed to the public, not a favour to governors.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna described the boycott threat as a sign of poor leadership, arguing that governors embarrass themselves by appearing unprepared and failing to properly account for public funds.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei claimed some governors were avoiding summons due to corruption concerns, citing questionable expenditure priorities in drought-hit counties.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi backed the committee, stating that constitutional timelines for audit reviews must be honoured, adding that any grievances should be raised through established institutional channels.
Despite the pushback, the Council of Governors has maintained its position, saying governors will not return to CPAC until structured talks with Senate leadership address their concerns.
 have firmly pushed back against governors who have threatened to boycott committee summons, insisting that oversight is a constitutional obligation that cannot be avoided.){kind=link}