Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo faces Senate wrath after multiple no-shows

In a stormy session, the Governor faced off with Senators who accused him of disrespecting the Senate and showing contempt by repeatedly failing to attend committee meetings.

Appearing before the Senate’s Finance and Budget Committee, Guyo clashed with lawmakers as he attempted to explain why he did not attend a summons on August 8, 2024. He claimed he was unable to appear due to nationwide Gen-Z protests. “Mr. Chairman, as you may recall, there were Gen-Z protests on that day, and my staff feared for their safety, which is why I could not attend,” Guyo stated.

Committee members, led by session chair Mohammed Faki (Mombasa), were not satisfied with the Governor's explanation. “The information you provided indicated that you had an investment conference in Isiolo. Now you’re saying it was due to Gen-Z protests,” Faki countered.

Although the Governor apologized for his frequent absences, he accused Senator Fatuma Dullo of trying to misuse the Senate for political purposes. “Dullo is a liar par excellence. She cannot use the Senate to micromanage the affairs of the Isiolo County government,” the Governor protested.

These remarks further infuriated the Senators, leading them to impose an additional fine of Sh. 500,000 for his contempt. The committee also considered inviting the Governor to appear before the Senate plenary to discuss his fate.

“There is a place for leaders who choose to be arrogant and who think that privilege is a right. Serving the people of Isiolo is a privilege; being a governor does not give you the right to speak down to Senators,” said Migori Senator Eddy Oketch.

Last week, the Speaker of the Senate, Amason Kingi, censured the Governor and instructed the Inspector General to arrest him and present him before various Senate committees.