Governors, Senators clash over bribery claims in Senate audit hearings

The stand-off between governors and senators over allegations of extortion has escalated to the office of Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, with governors threatening to name and shame senators in the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) whom they accuse of demanding bribes to clear audit queries.

But the Senate oversight committee has dared the governors to table the purported list, accusing them of resorting to intimidation to escape serious audit queries raised by the Auditor-General.

Of all the governors scheduled to appear on Tuesday, only Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu and his Kitui counterpart Julius Malombe turned up.

A day after the Council of Governors issued a protest letter to the Senate accusing the Moses Kajwang-led watchdog committee of extortion, political witch-hunt, harassment, intimidation and humiliation when governors appear to respond to audit queries, the senators fired back.

“If you come with embarrassing responses, we will embarrass you. We will not bembeleza you,” Kajwang stated.

Ledama Ole Kina added, “If your documents are an embarrassment, you will be told. This committee holds the truth like a loaded gun.”

“When we hear statements from governors that we embarrass them, they embarrass themselves,” Senator Edwin Sifuna stated.

The governors, who are meeting in Kilifi, responded by threatening to name and shame senators they accuse of extorting them.

“Funny enough, the majority of the senators that governors are complaining about are in ODM and they keep invoking Baba’s name. Baba will be sad today to know that some of the extortionists are from his party,” COG chair Ahmed Abdullahi said.

Muthomi Njuki added, “They call you and you have to go first to the chair’s office. Is there a provision that I must go to that office? Why can’t we meet in the committee room?”

Governors say they have written to Senate Speaker Amason Kingi to immediately convene a meeting where they will table the names of the senators in question.

Kisii Governor Simba Arati on his part: “Mimi niko tayari kufika mbele ya Speaker na nitataja majina na niseme wewe ulichukua pesa.”

Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga added: “Tuko na ushahidi wa kutosha na mtu asitutishe.”

Of the governors invited to appear on Tuesday, only Ole Ntutu and Malombe attended the sessions, with three governors skipping.

“I have come because I have nothing to hide, but we really need that dialogue between governors and senators,” Ole Ntutu said.

Sifuna added, “We have called governors to appear today; look at those who have not come. Before we sit in that meeting they want, we must first meet with those who have read that statement.”