The Kenyan Senate has rejected claims of extortion and harassment by the Council of Governors (CoG), vowing to uphold its constitutional oversight role over county funds. This follows a directive from the CoG instructing governors to suspend appearances before Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) and limit appearances before the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee (CPIC).

• Senate Speaker Amason Kingi urged governors to use established channels for concerns, warning that unsubstantiated media allegations could harm intergovernmental cooperation.
• CPAC Chair Moses Kajwang and CPIC Chair Godfrey Osotsi warned that governors defying summons risk fines, surcharges, and the withholding of county funds.
• Governors who failed to appear before committees include Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata, Lamu Governor Issa Timamy, Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki, and Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire, all of whom have been officially summoned.
• The committees are scheduled to question Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja regarding the non-production of some governors. Several counties also face sanctions for skipping a retreat in Kilifi.

Kenyan Governors have suspended their appearances before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), accusing unnamed members of the oversight body of extortion and using sittings for political witch hunts. The decision was announced during the ongoing Governors’ Retreat in Kilifi.

• The Council of Governors (CoG) chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi stated that governors would resume appearances only after a structured engagement with the Senate leadership to address their grievances.
• Governors are concerned about "continuous and escalating extortion, political witch hunt, harassment, intimidation, and humiliation" by certain senators.
• Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki clarified that their issue is with only "four senators" whom he described as extortionists.
• Recent instances of scrutiny include Bungoma County's Sh3.6 million spent on a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in 2019, and Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo facing questions over Sh5 million for a housewarming party.

The Council of Governors (CoG) has accused four Senators from the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (PAC), led by Chair Moses Kajwang, of extortion, intimidation, and harassment during audit queries. The CoG threatened to boycott PAC summons until these issues are resolved.

• CoG Chairman Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdulahi stated that Senators are extorting and intimidating Governors who don't meet their demands.
• The CoG resolved to boycott the PAC Committee, which Abdulahi called a "cartel to siphon money from Governors."
• Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki affirmed the Governors' frustration with the unnamed "extortionists."

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has strongly defended the Senate’s constitutional oversight role, dismissing bribery allegations and claims of political witch-hunts by governors. This response follows governors' threats to boycott Senate summons over concerns about the frequency and disruptiveness of committee inquiries.

• Kingi reiterated that governors are constitutionally mandated to report on county expenditure to the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) and the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee (CPIC).
• The Council of Governors expressed criticism regarding the committees' exercise of oversight authority and frequent summons during a recent retreat.
• Speaker Kingi emphasized that the Senate's oversight mandate is firmly anchored in Article 96(3) and Article 96(1) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010.
• The Senate urged the Council of Governors to utilize established institutional mechanisms for addressing grievances instead of public misjudgments.