Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has rejected claims from the Council of Governors (CoG) that Senate audit committees have been harassing county officials, cautioning governors against refusing to appear before the panels.
In a press statement on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, Kingi said the Senate’s oversight of county governments is clearly established in the Constitution and cannot be challenged by unverified allegations.
“The Senate has noted with concern allegations contained in a press statement issued by the Council of Governors (CoG), and subsequently reported in the media, regarding the operations of Senate Committees—specifically the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) and the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee (CPIC),” the Speaker stated.
Kingi also expressed concern over the Council of Governors’ request to reconstitute the County Public Accounts Committee, citing claims of political witch-hunts, harassment, extortion, and intimidation allegedly carried out by four unnamed committee members.
“The Senate is cognizant of the position taken by the Council of Governors to suspend appearances before the County Public Accounts Committee until structured engagement is held between its leadership and that of the Senate, and to limit appearances before the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee to once per audit cycle,” Kingi said.
The Speaker stressed that the Senate’s oversight of county governments is constitutionally mandated and cannot be subject to conditions imposed by governors.
“The Senate wishes to reiterate that its oversight role over county governments is firmly anchored in the Constitution. Article 96(3) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 provides that ‘the Senate determines the allocation of national revenue among counties, as provided in Article 217, and exercises oversight over national revenue allocated to the county governments,'” the statement read.
The Speaker highlighted that Senate audit committees operate under Article 229 of the Constitution, which mandates Parliament to review and act on audit reports within three months of receiving them from the Auditor-General, by March 31 each year.
“Compliance with this constitutional timeline is not optional, and any actions that impede the audit process undermine accountability and prudent use of public resources,” Kingi stated.
He also pointed out that Article 96(1) assigns the Senate the role of representing counties and safeguarding their interests.
Kingi reaffirmed the Senate’s dedication to its constitutional responsibilities, pledging to maintain strong and timely oversight over public funds allocated to county governments.
While recognizing that governors may have valid concerns, Kingi criticized the use of the media to air unverified claims instead of addressing issues through established institutional channels.
“Should the Council of Governors have concerns regarding the conduct or operations of Senate Committees, established and legitimate institutional channels exist through which such concerns may be formally raised and addressed,” the Speaker stated.
He added that while the Senate welcomes structured and constructive dialogue with devolution actors, resorting to public mudslinging and unsubstantiated allegations in the media, without supporting evidence, is neither appropriate nor helpful for intergovernmental cooperation.
Kingi concluded by reaffirming the Senate’s dedication to accountability and the principles of devolution.
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