Speaker of the Senate Amason Kingi has asked the Inspector General of the Police Douglas Kanja arrest Isiolo governor Abdi Guyo for failing to honour committee invitations and summons.
He said the Inspector of General of Police must, in exercise of his mandate pursuant to Article 245 (2) (b) of the Constitution extend the necessary support to the committees in order to secure the appearance of the governor.
“This is not a favour that the Senate or its committees are asking of the Inspector General of Police,” he said in his message to the House on Tuesday.
Kingi said defiance displayed by the governor in respect to invitations and summons of the Senate cannot persist.
“If recourse to the courts become necessary, such actions will be robustly pursued. It is also open to Isiolo Senator and any other senator to use legislative mechanisms available under Standing Orders including a censure motion to deal with the errant behaviour of the governor,” he stated.
On October 1, 2024, a Senate Committee demanded the arrest Guyo for failure to honour their summons. It was the second time a Senate Committee is issuing arrest warrants against the governor.
The Senate Labour Committee, chaired by West Pokot Senator Julius Murgor, was forced to take action after Guyo failed to appear to answer questions about his employment status in the devolved unit.
"As a committee, we have resolved that the governor should pay a Sh500,000 fine from his pocket and he should be arrested and brought before the committee,” the committee chair said.
Senator Mohammed Faki of Mombasa agreed that Senator Guyo's notoriety demonstrates disdain for the Senate as an oversight institution of devolved units.
The health committee had already indicted the governor and ordered the inspector general to arrest him and cause him to appear before the committee.
A notice motion has been filed before the Senate to discuss the conduct of the county boss with threats to halt the resources allocated to the devolved unit.