Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has hit back at claims that the Senate is embarrassing governors through aggressive oversight, saying the real embarrassment stems from corruption at the county level.
“No, Senators are not embarrassing the Governors. It’s the Governors’ rampant corruption that’s embarrassing,” Sifuna said.
His remarks come amid growing tension between the Senate and the Council of Governors (CoG) over the manner in which county chiefs are summoned and questioned before Senate committees. Several governors have protested what they describe as public humiliation during live broadcast sessions, arguing that the process undermines devolution.
Some governors have accused senators of using oversight hearings for political theatrics instead of constructive engagement. They argue that repeated summons, sometimes over audit queries they say are administrative in nature, paint counties in a negative light and erode public confidence in devolved units.
“We support accountability, but the approach must respect the spirit of devolution,” some governors have previously said through the Council of Governors, warning against what they termed as “trial by media.”
The Senate, however, maintains that it is executing its constitutional mandate. Under Article 96 of the Constitution, the Senate is tasked with representing counties and overseeing the allocation and use of national revenue allocated to county governments.
In recent months, several governors have been grilled over queries raised in reports by the Auditor-General, including questionable expenditures, procurement irregularities, stalled projects and ballooning pending bills. The confrontations have at times been heated, with senators demanding documentation and clear explanations on how billions of shillings were spent.
Sifuna defended the Senate’s approach, saying accountability should not be mistaken for hostility.
“Oversight is not optional. If governors are properly managing public resources, they should have no problem appearing before the Senate and answering questions,” he said.
Since the introduction of devolution in 2013, county governments have controlled billions of shillings annually. However, persistent audit queries and corruption cases involving some governors and senior county officials have fueled public concern over financial management in the counties.
The latest exchange highlights the ongoing friction between the Senate and governors — a power struggle that continues to shape the implementation of devolution as Kenyans demand transparency and better service delivery at the grassroots.
