Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has again landed in trouble with Senators after cancelling his meeting at the last minute.
The Governor was scheduled to appear before the Senate Committee on Energy on Thursday, March 21, to respond to questions on the Embakasi Gas explosion which killed innocent residents.
He sent a regret letter to the committee at 8.15 am only 45 minutes before he was scheduled to appear. In the letter, Sakaja explained that he would be unavailable since he was attending a burial.
The Kenyan Senate.
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Senate of Kenya
He informed the committee members that he was attending the funeral of Embakasi Central MP Mejjadonk Benjamin Gathiru’s father who passed away on March 12.
However, the regret letter irked the committee and it resorted to summoning the governor for further questioning. He has been asked to appear on Thursday, March 28.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna who was at the meeting reiterated that the House should approve a proposal to arrest all leaders who fail to honour summons.
In the proposal first fronted in February, Sifuna argued that the Ksh500,000 fine was inadequate to compel the leaders or to stop such behaviour.
The proposal is contained in the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges (Amendment) Bill if approved, a Parliamentary Police Unit shall be established to arrest cabinet secretaries, governors, and principal secretaries who fail to honour the summons.
“There is no other way to give this House teeth and ensure that we can carry out our mandate and tie up these loose ends that will ensure that we can do our work effectively,” Sifuna remarked.
Notably, Sakaja is among the leaders who have repeatedly ignored the summons. In November 2023, the governor was fined Ksh500,000 for the same.
On November 14 last year, Sakaja was summoned to respond to several issues raised by Nairobi residents. He however ignored this and was summoned again on November 30.
He also missed this explaining that he was in South Africa. This consistent behaviour prompted the legislators to impose a heftier fine.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna speaking at the People Dialogue Festival on March 6, 2024
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ODM
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