The Senate has initiated plans to take a disciplinary action against Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja including disciplinary action after the county boss failed to honour summons.
The Senate made the resolutions after Sakaja failed to appear before the Senate committee on Roads, Transportation and Housing for the seventh time today.
The governor, through Nairobi City County acting Chief of staff, wrote to the committee requesting the committee to postpone the meeting since he was in Cape Town, South Africa attending a water conference.
“The summons was served on November 29th, 2023 and the response came in the same day, the governor should be courteous enough to respect the residents of Nairobi who elected him and they want answers to the status of the regeneration projects undertaken the Nairobi City County, even if he does not respect the Senate and its Committees,” said Kitui Senator Kiio Wambua, who is a member of the committee.
The Kitui Senator added that the Nairobi governor was testing the waters and was contemptuous of the Senate Committee on Roads, Transportation, and Housing, and therefore he should face the law to the fullest.
Moreover, the Kitui Senator posited that when Governor Sakaja left the Senate, he was a good leader. He argued that the governor believes fully that the senators have powers but he is living in denial.
“Our resolutions will form the basis of applicable penalties that can compel him to respect the Senate and the people of Nairobi who voted for him. The Senate can invoke several acts including ordering Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome to make sure he’s arrested and brought before the Senate Committee,” said Kiambu Senator Karungo Thangwa.
The committee vice-chairperson and nominated Senator Peris Tobiko expressed her displeasure with the governor’s behavior and urged the committee to exert the penalty that the law allows so that he can respect the committee.
“Governor Sakaja has up to December 6th, 2023 to pay a fine of Sh500,000. This committee resolves to consider the conduct of the governor and give the way forward on the 7th day of December, 2023,” Tobiko said.
“This committee will consult the Speaker and members of the Senate to bring a motion to discuss the conduct of the Nairobi governor, censure him and stop the Nairobi regeneration project in 13 Eastlands estates,” ruled the Kiambu Senator Karungo Thangwa, the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Roads, Transportation and Housing.