Peter Munya in court to block his arrest over summons

Meru Governor Peter Munya. (Photo: File/Standard)

Meru Governor Peter Munya has moved to court to block his arrest over snubbing Senate summons.

The Council of Governors (CoG) chairman filed a case in the High Court Thursday through lawyer Peter Wanyama.

Mr Munya submitted that the Senate was overstepping its mandate and that the summons were outside the Constitution set deadlines. Senators want the governor to answer to audit queries in his county.

Munya argued that the Senate's Public Accounts and Investments Committee has no powers to direct  Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet to arrest an individual as a way of enforcing the law.

"It is only the Cabinet secretary responsible for the National Police Service who may lawfully direct the Inspector General to enforce the law against any person or investigate any offences," the court papers read, adding, "The impugned decision of the Senate is unconstitutional, illegal and full of malice."

Early this week, the committee wrote to Mr Boinnet, asking him to arrest the governor and present him before it to respond to queries on the 2013-2014 financial year.

This was after the governor, 'for the third time', ignored committee summons, and instead sent a delegation from his office. The angry senators said a 'decision has been made' on the governor.

In the filed court papers, Munya said it was suspect as to why the senators kicked out the delegation which had showed up to give information and decided to turn their wrath on him. The governor said by sending officers, he technically obeyed the summons.