Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has sparked a fresh standoff with senators after failing to attend a scheduled Senate Education Committee meeting, drawing attention to his repeated defiance of parliamentary oversight.
He was expected to report on the status of pre-primary education in Nairobi but pulled out at the last minute, sending a County Executive instead.
Senators expressed anger over the abrupt cancellation, highlighting what they called a pattern of disrespect and disregard for the Senate.
The situation worsened when Sakaja claimed he had personally informed committee chairperson, nominated Senator Betty Montet, of his absence. Lawmakers dismissed the claim, revealing that Montet had not been contacted.
An unsigned letter later delivered to the committee was described as casual and dismissive, fueling further frustration among the senators.
Kirinyaga Senator James Murango accused the governor of showing “open contempt” toward the Senate. He recalled that Sakaja had previously avoided impeachment thanks to the intervention of President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
“He knows he is being protected by top leaders and that makes him arrogant. If he treats the Senate with such contempt, how about the Nairobi County Assembly?” Murango asked. He added: “We wanted to discuss challenges facing preschool learners, yet the governor behaves like we have no work to do. He should be summoned, fined and, if necessary, arrested.”
Committee vice-chairperson Margaret Kamar criticised Sakaja for wasting public resources. “Senators have travelled from across the country, some by air, only for him to pull out at the last moment.
You cannot spend public money and refuse to be accountable, no matter who protects you. This rudeness will not be tolerated,” she said. Attempts to contact the governor directly since Tuesday, she noted, were only handled by his staff.
Montet also clarified that the governor had not reached out to her. “I want to confirm I have not talked to the governor, heard from him or looked for him,” she stated, countering claims made by Sakaja’s chief of staff.
Machakos Senator Agnes Kavindu said the governor was “playing games” with Senate committees. “He failed to appear before another committee I sit in on Wednesday. It is time we enforce the rules, fine him, and compel him to appear. This is unacceptable,” she said.
Kajiado Senator Seki Lenku called Sakaja “very arrogant,” noting that he had previously ignored invitations when Lenku chaired the Trade Committee. Nominated Senator Catherine Mumma said the governor had also avoided the Devolution Committee. “We cannot continue babysitting him. We have serious business to do,” she said.
Laikipia Senator John Kinyua emphasised the Senate’s role in holding leaders accountable.
“Either these people think we are idle or that we can wait until the last minute to be told they are not appearing. Which meeting could be more important than that of the Senate, which represents Kenyans?” he asked. He added with a touch of irony that perhaps Sakaja skipped the session because “he knows he lied to pupils that he would give them one million chapatis.”
