NAIROBI, Kenya, July 27 – The Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) has escalated its standoff with Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo, resolving to seek his arrest after accusing him of repeatedly defying summons to explain audit queries and frustrating Parliament’s oversight role. The committee, chaired by Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’, said it had exhausted all avenues to secure the governor’s appearance and would now direct the Inspector General of Police to produce him before senators on August 6. The move came after Governor Guyo skipped Monday’s session, instead sending a letter through the County Secretary barely two hours before the meeting requesting that his appearance be rescheduled due to prior official engagements.
The late communication infuriated senators, who said the governor had been served with summons more than a week earlier and had ample time to notify the committee if he was unable to attend. Committee members were informed that the summons had been served electronically on July 17 and physically on July 20, satisfying the legal requirements under the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act before an arrest order could be sought. Kajwang’ said the committee had initially refrained from seeking an arrest warrant to ensure due process was followed, but maintained that Governor Guyo’s continued absence had left senators with no alternative.
“We are convinced that we have been fair administratively. We are convinced that we have given appropriate notices. We are convinced that we have repeatedly attempted to have the governor appear before us through invitations and through summons, and he has chosen not to.
We are left with no option but to ask the Inspector General of Police to bring him before us,” Kajwang’ said. The committee is investigating audit queries relating to Isiolo County’s financial statements for the 2024/25 financial year after auditors complained they had received incomplete documentation from the county, making it difficult to proceed with the audit review. Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei led calls for the governor’s arrest, describing him as “a fugitive of transparency and accountability” and urging police to “frog-march” him to Parliament.
Cherargei argued that county chiefs who refuse to account for public funds undermine constitutional principles of accountability and should face the consequences provided under th…
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