The Senate County Public Accounts Committee has asked the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, to bring Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo to Parliament on July 20.
This follows the governor’s repeated failure to attend meetings called by the committee.
Committee Chairperson Moses Kajwang’ spoke during a meeting with officials from Isiolo County.
He said the Senate is using its powers under Article 125 of the Constitution and the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act.
These laws allow Parliament to require people to appear when needed for important work.
Kajwang’ explained that the committee cannot keep waiting because it needs to finish reviewing the 2024 to 2025 financial year audits.
“We do not have the luxury of writing love letters and pleading with the governor to appear,” Kajwang’ said.
He added that the committee will not get stuck on small differences between summons and invitations.
The governor must appear before the Senate on Monday, July 20, at 2 pm.
Officials from Isiolo County who attended the meeting said the governor could not come because of other duties with the County Assembly.
The senators did not accept this reason. They pointed out that the committee had tried many times to get the governor to appear without success.
This situation is part of a wider issue between some county governors and the Senate. The Senate’s role includes checking how counties use public money.
Committees like the County Public Accounts Committee look at audit reports to make sure funds are spent properly and to prevent waste. When leaders do not show up, it slows down this important oversight work.
Governor Abdi Guyo has faced questions before about county spending in Isiolo. In the past, the committee has raised concerns about things like hiring extra staff and other costs.
Similar cases have happened with other governors, leading to fines or stronger measures when they miss meetings.
The directive to the police inspector general is meant to make sure the committee can complete its job on time. Parliament committees have the power to compel attendance so they can gather facts and do their constitutional duty.
This helps protect public funds and promotes good governance at the county level.
All eyes will be on whether the governor appears as directed. The outcome could affect how other county leaders respond to future Senate invitations.
The Senate continues its work to review county finances for the good of all Kenyans.
