By Janet Nyamwamu
The Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) has warned that county governments could face temporary funding suspensions after several governors repeatedly failed to honour parliamentary summons on the use of public funds.
The move signals growing frustration within the Senate over what lawmakers view as a pattern of disregard for accountability mechanisms under Kenya’s devolved system of governance.
On Monday, Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit failed to appear before the committee, opting instead to attend the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) National Governing Council meeting at State House.
The following day, Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir also skipped CPAC sessions reviewing county financial statements for the 2024/25 financial year.
Governor Nassir offered no explanation for his absence.
Governor Guyo, however, requested a postponement, citing insecurity in Isiolo County following recent bandit attacks.
His explanation was rejected by lawmakers, who said it raised broader concerns about commitment to public accountability.
Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo questioned the validity of the security excuse, noting that governors are not members of County Security Committees.
“Even if such meetings were taking place, his presence there is questionable. He cannot personally conduct security operations,” Senator Dullo said.
She also cast doubt on the seriousness of the postponement request, pointing out that the letter was written by the County Secretary and only copied to the governor.
“This shows a lack of commitment to accountability, yet residents continue to suffer from poor service delivery,” she added.
The repeated absences have prompted CPAC to explore legal avenues to compel governors to account for billions of shillings allocated to counties each year.
One option under consideration is invoking Article 225 of the Constitution, which allows Parliament to halt funding to public entities where misuse of public resources is established.
A similar attempt in 2025 saw the Senate pass a resolution to suspend funding for several counties, but the Constitutional Court later ruled that such action requires approval from both the Senate and the National Assembly.
Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ has proposed an alternative route under Article 223 of the Constitution.
The provision allows the National Treasury to authorise spending pending parliamentary approval.
Under his proposal, the Senate would pass a resolution suspending county funding for up to 30 days while seeking concurrence from the National Assembly.
“The objective is to temporarily stop cash flows to counties that fail to account for public funds until the audit process is concluded,” Senator Kajwang’ said.
CPAC is also considering the development of joint procedural guidelines with the Office of the Auditor-General to formalise the summons process and clearly define penalties for non-compliance.
Lawmakers believe such measures would strengthen fiscal discipline and improve oversight under devolution.
Devolution and accountability
Across Africa, devolution has been adopted to bring government closer to citizens, improve service delivery, and address regional inequalities.
However, accountability at sub-national levels remains a persistent challenge.
Countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Ethiopia have devolved or federal systems that grant counties, states, or provinces access to substantial public funds.
While this autonomy promotes local decision-making, it also demands strong oversight institutions to safeguard public resources.
Public Accounts Committees, supported by Auditor-General reports, are central to this oversight.
Yet political resistance, weak enforcement mechanisms, and institutional overlaps often allow local leaders to evade scrutiny.
As a result, many African governments increasingly rely on fiscal controls—such as conditional grants, delayed disbursements, or temporary funding suspensions—when political accountability mechanisms fall short.
In Kenya, courts have consistently emphasised the need for clear procedures and cooperation between the two Houses of Parliament to balance devolution with fiscal oversight.
