Nairobi, 27 February 2026 — Kenya’s county governors have announced they will no longer appear before the Senate’s County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), citing allegations of extortion, intimidation, and political harassment.
The standoff threatens to deepen tensions between the two levels of government.
In a letter to Senate Speaker Amason Jeffah Kingi, the Council of Governors said governors will continue engaging with all other Senate committees, but refuse to appear before CPAC until concerns raised in previous correspondence are addressed.
“The Excellency Governors will appear before all the Committees of the Senate of Kenya to deliberate on matters of common interest to the counties except the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC),” said the council in the letter signed by Chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi.
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Governors raise misconduct claims
The council accused CPAC members of misconduct, including extortion, intimidation, and political witch-hunt, allegations it says have persisted despite repeated complaints.
“We had formally raised serious concerns regarding the conduct of certain members of CPAC, including allegations of extortion, intimidation, political witch-hunt, and harassment,” the council wrote.
Governors say the alleged attacks have even occurred on the Senate floor, undermining both the dignity of county governments and the authority of the upper house.
“Regrettably, these concerns remain unaddressed. Indeed, these actions have persisted with continued attacks against Governors, including on the Floor of the House,” the letter added.
“Such actions demonstrate disregard for the institutional and functional integrity of County Governments and undermine the dignity and standing of the Senate as an august House,” it continued.
Accountability without abuse of office
Despite the boycott, governors insist they remain committed to transparency and prudent management of public funds.
“We reiterate our unwavering commitment to accountability and the prudent use of public resources,” Mr Abdullahi wrote.
“Oversight must be exercised lawfully, ethically, and devoid of abuse of office.”
The council formally called on Senate leadership to intervene and address the allegations, saying cooperation will only be restored once the issues with CPAC are resolved.
“We believe this will restore the working relationship between the Governors and the Committee in furtherance of the constitutional functions of the Senate and County Governments,” the letter concluded.
Background: Rising tensions between counties and Senate oversight
The standoff is part of a series of disputes over CPAC’s oversight of county finances. Governors have previously complained of harsh questioning, alleged intimidation, and politically motivated investigations, while the Senate maintains its constitutional mandate to scrutinize county spending through CPAC reports from the Auditor General.
Analysts say the conflict highlights the fragile balance of devolution in Kenya, where oversight powers must be exercised without undermining the autonomy and dignity of county governments.
The Senate leadership has not yet publicly responded to the governors’ latest resolution, leaving the future of county-Senate relations uncertain.
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