Warrant of arrest issued against Governor Mutua for snubbing Senate

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua: A warrant of arrest has been issued against him for failing to appear before the Senate Accounts Committee for the second time. [File, Standard]

The Senate Committee on County Public Accounts and Investment has issued a warrant of arrest for Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua for failing to appear before it for the second time to answer audit queries.

The committee chair, Moses Kajwang', has asked the clerk to write to Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to effect the arrest.

The Machakos County Chief has been involved in a war of words with the County Senator Boniface Kabaka in the recent past.

Governor Mutua was expected to appear before the accounts committee on Monday of which Kabaka is a member.

Kajwang', however, refuted claims that the presence of Machakos Senator is malicious saying that it is his duty and right to be part of the committee.

"The governor of Machakos must be ready to answer questions from any senator who has been validly elected or nominated to this house," said Kajwang'

Kajwang' has termed the failure of Governor Mutua to appear before the committee as an abuse of process which is tantamount to contempt of Parliament.

"Parliament has the right to summon any person, even the President and so the governor is not an exception."

The committee had invited the county chief to appear before it on September, Wednesday 18 but Mutua skipped the meeting and instead sent a letter saying that Senator Boniface Kabaka had mobilised goons to paint him corrupt.

In the 11th parliament, Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and Kwale's Salim Mvurya failed to appear before the accounting committee and they were slapped with Sh500,000 and Sh200,000 fines respectively.

To secure compliance, the committee decided to act differently on Mutua by ordering his arrest as authorized in Section 19(3) of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act.