Speaker Kingi rejects governors' request to remove Sifuna, Cherargei, Kajwang from Senate Committee

On February 9, 2026, the council issued a press statement demanding the reconstitution of CPAC and announcing a suspension of appearances before the committee until structured engagement is held with Senate leadership. It also resolved to limit appearances before the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee to once per audit cycle.

Two days later, CoG singled out four Senators, comprising CPAC Chairperson Moses Kajwang, Vice-Chairperson Johnes Mwaruma, Edwin Sifuna and Samson Cherargei, alleging that they have been “notorious” for misconduct during oversight sessions. 

The governors accused the lawmakers of engaging in extortion, political witch-hunts, intimidation and harassment of county chiefs summoned before the committee.  

While responding to the allegations made by CoG before the Senate on Thursday, Kingi stated that the power to establish committees, appoint members and remove them rests exclusively with the Senate under Article 124 of the Constitution, and that the CoG’s position has no constitutional basis.

The speaker also rejected CoG's resolution that governors should not appear before CPAC until their concerns are addressed, terming it 'untenable'.

Equally, he rejected the proposal to limit appearances before the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee, saying the Senate determines how often it exercises its oversight role.

"The constitutional oversight mandate is exercised by the Senate as often as whenever the Senate, in its judgment, considers appropriate and any purported restriction or limitation of this mandate, such as proposed, is unconstitutional," Kingi stated. 

Kingi further referenced Article 125, which grants either House of Parliament and its committees the power to summon any person to appear before them, enforce attendance, compel production of documents and examine witnesses under oath. 

He added that no organ or authority has the power to suspend or vary the Legislature’s constitutional mandate.

However, the Speaker welcomed the governors' request for dialogue, inviting the CoG leadership to a meeting with the Senate on February 26, 2026, at County Hall, Parliament Buildings, Nairobi.

Speaker Kingi warned the governors that anyone summoned to appear before a Senate committee must do so failure to which legal and constitutional consequences would follow.