Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has stepped in to defuse a growing standoff between the Senate and county governments after four senators were accused of taking bribes and harassing governors during accountability hearings, even as plans to arrest non-compliant governors emerged.
Kingi held a closed-door meeting with the four senators named in a confidential complaint by the Council of Governors (CoG).
The meeting came amid heightened tensions following a decision by governors to boycott appearances before the Senate’s Public Accounts Committee, citing intimidation, threats and repeated demands for bribes whenever they are summoned to explain the use of devolved funds.
Sources familiar with the meeting said the Speaker sought explanations from the senators and urged restraint as consultations continue, amid fears that the standoff could paralyse the Senate’s oversight role.
While the identities of the accused legislators remain undisclosed to the public, CoG maintains that the four were formally named in a letter addressed to Kingi, demanding their removal from the watchdog committee to restore integrity and fairness.
The Speaker’s intervention coincided with a hardline warning from Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, who said governors who ignore Senate summonses risk arrest and forced appearance before Parliament.
Appearing before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee, Kanja said the National Police Service was ready to act on lawful and procedurally issued directives from the Senate.
Governors, however, argue that the threat of arrest only deepens the crisis, insisting they support accountability but reject what they describe as extortion disguised as oversight.
They have called for dialogue between Senate leadership and CoG to resolve the matter and protect governors from political persecution.
The dispute has exposed widening cracks between senators and governors, with critics warning that unresolved allegations and coercive tactics could undermine public confidence in parliamentary oversight, especially as the 2027 political season draws closer.