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Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja appeared before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), a day after police launched a search for him over his failure to honour a summons.
Sakaja, who drove himself to Parliament Buildings in a black Mercedes sedan shortly before noon, said his decision to drive himself was meant to demonstrate his willingness to engage with Senate committees.
“I came to the Senate to meet the leadership and members of the committee. First, I am a law-abiding citizen,” Sakaja said.
“I have appeared before these committees many times. Six times this year alone and about 10 times last year. I have even responded to audit queries dating back to 2015, including those from my predecessors.”
The county chief, however, maintained that his earlier failure to appear before CPAC was in line with a directive from the Council of Governors (CoG), which raised concerns about alleged intimidation and extortion involving some committee members.
“When the CoG raised issues regarding that specific committee, we were guided that those concerns be resolved first. Accountability is important, but it must be undertaken in the right way,” he said.
The governor further noted that the dispute is not unique to Nairobi, adding that 29 governors had been summoned before the same committee.
According to him, most failed to appear, while those who attended declined to prosecute substantive matters in solidarity with the CoG position.
Sakaja said he had engaged both Senate and CoG leadership in efforts to de-escalate the situation and find a lasting solution.
“I have spoken to the Speaker of the Senate, the Chair of the Council of Governors, and my fellow governors. We need to resolve these issues so that we can be held accountable as required by the Senate."
He criticised attempts to single him out, terming the developments surrounding his case as exaggerated.
“It is wrong to single out one county or one governor. The drama we are seeing is not fair. The CoG is an institution just like the Senate; let the two institutions resolve the matter collectively,” he said.
Sakaja added that he remains ready to appear before the committee once the underlying issues between the two institutions are addressed.
He also dismissed claims that he was evading accountability, insisting he had been available and had nothing to hide.
“Who is in the office at 7pm? They were looking for me, yet I am here at the Senate as required. I have no problem with the Senate...There is just an issue that needs to be resolved. I have nothing to run away from,” he said.
