Nairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson on Tuesday, March 31, appeared before the Senate Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hours after police officers attempted to arrest him over failure to appear before the panel.
Speaking after appearing before the committee, Sakaja said his decision to personally drive to Parliament was meant to demonstrate his willingness to engage with Senate committees.
The Nairobi Governor called for an amicable resolution of the ongoing standoff between the Council of Governors (CoG) and the Senate.
“I came to the Senate to meet the leadership and members of the committee. First, I am a law-abiding citizen,” Sakaja said. “I have appeared before these committees many times six times this year alone and about ten times last year. I have even responded to audit queries dating back to 2015, including those from my predecessors,” said Sakaja.
However, he maintained that his earlier failure to appear before the Committee was in line with a directive from the Council of Governors, which raised concerns over alleged intimidation and extortion involving some members of the committee.
“When the CoG raised issues regarding that specific committee, we were guided that those concerns be resolved first. Accountability is important, but it must be undertaken in the right way,” Sakaja said.
He also noted that the dispute is not unique to Nairobi, revealing that 29 governors had been summoned before the same committee, with most failing to appear, while those who attended declined to prosecute substantive matters in solidarity with the CoG position.
Sakaja said he had engaged both Senate and CoG leadership in efforts to de-escalate the situation and find a lasting solution.
“I have spoken to the Speaker of the Senate, the Chair of the Council of Governors, and my fellow governors. We need to resolve these issues so that we can be held accountable as required by the Senate,” he said.
Further, Governor Sakaja reiterated his commitment to accountability, stating that he remains ready to appear before the committee once the underlying issues between the two institutions are addressed.
“I have appeared before the committee before, and I will continue to do so. All we want is for the issues between the CoG and the Senate to be resolved,” he said.
This comes barely a day after a contingent of police officers camped outside Governor Sakaja’s office at City Hall, attempting to arrest him.
Nairobi County Police Commander Issa Mohamud confirmed that officers are searching for Governor Sakaja to ensure compliance with the law.
“We are following orders issued by the Inspector General of Police and will take the necessary steps,” said Mohamud.
