When the Council of Governors (CoG) retreated to the luxury of the Silverpalm Resort in Kilifi last week, they didn’t just discuss service delivery. They launched a targeted strike against the Senate’s most vocal oversight members, accusing them of turning the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) into a “cartel of graft.”
But if the governors expected the accused—Senators Edwin Sifuna, Samson Cherargei, and Moses Kajwang’—to retreat, they severely miscalculated. Within 48 hours, the “Targeted Four” turned the heat back on the county chiefs, daring them to “name and shame” or face massive defamation lawsuits.
1. Sifuna’s Defiance: “My Only Crime is Work”
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, never one to mince words, was the first to fire back. Addressing the media on February 12, Sifuna dismissed the extortion claims as a “well-coordinated political war” designed to silence him.
The Defamation Threat: Sifuna challenged the governors to move beyond anonymous media statements. “Those governors making these allegations—we will meet them in court. It is deeply defamatory to say I have extorted you without a shred of evidence,” he stated.
The Timing: Sifuna suggested the accusations were conveniently timed with his ongoing political battles within ODM, aiming to paint him as “rogue” to both his party and the public.
2. Cherargei’s “Citizen Arrest” Warning
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei took an even more aggressive stance. During a Senate session on Thursday, he invoked the power of the people against governors who might try to hide behind the CoG’s boycott.
“I want to appeal to my people of Nandi: Whenever you see Governor Sang, do a public citizen arrest and bring him to the Senate! If a public officer approves the use of funds contrary to law, they are liable—whether they stay in office or not.”
Cherargei argued that the governors’ “yelling” about extortion was simply a tactic to avoid explaining how billions in taxpayer money have vanished into “hospitality” and “travel” budgets.
3. The “Judge-Picking” Rebuttal
CPAC Chairperson Moses Kajwang’ (Homa Bay) provided a more systemic critique. He compared the governors’ demand to remove him and his colleagues to a group of suspects demanding to choose the judges presiding over their criminal trial.
The Sh533 Billion Factor: Kajwang’ reminded the public that his committee is currently tracking Sh533 billion in unresolved audit queries.
The “Side Show” Tag: He labeled the Kilifi resolutions as “side shows” intended to stall the audit process before the March 31 constitutional deadline.
The “Anonymous” Governor and the Sh9 Million Claim
While the CoG officially wrote to Speaker Kingi, some governors have been speaking to the press under the veil of anonymity. One governor claimed he was asked for Sh9 million to have his “irrelevant” audit queries dropped.
In response, the Senate leadership has dared the CoG to table these specific “demand notes” during the scheduled February 26 consultative meeting. If the governors fail to provide evidence, they risk a total collapse of their credibility and potential “unfit to hold office” declarations from the House.
Conclusion: The High Noon of Accountability
The standoff has reached a tipping point. The Senate has made it clear: they will not be intimidated into silence. The Governors have made it clear: they will not be “humiliated” in public sessions.
As the two sides prepare for the February 26 face-off at County Hall, the real losers remain the taxpayers. With Sh533 billion hanging in the balance, Kenya is watching to see if this is truly about “extortion” or if it’s the greatest evasion of accountability in the history of devolution.
Do you believe the Senators are being too hard on the Governors, or is the “extortion” claim just a clever way to avoid the Auditor General’s heat? Weigh in below!
