Osotsi accuses Ruto of shielding corrupt governors snubbing Senate summons

Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi at Bunge Tower, Nairobi on March 10, 2025. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has accused President William Ruto of shielding alleged corrupt governors who are singing the tune of two terms to avoid summons by the Senate oversight committees.

Speaking in Kakamega town after a meeting with the Luhya Council of Elders, Senator Osotsi alleged that most governors who have refused to appear before Senate committees are the biggest supporters of President Ruto and therefore they are advancing impunity and corruption in counties.

"We want the President to help this country and devolution because he is encouraging governors to be rogue. What the governors nowadays need to do is to align with the President to shout and sing two terms, and their sins are cleansed and they don't see the need and importance of honouring the summons by Senators," said Osotsi.

"We are asking the President to stay away from any governor who has a bad accountability report because the people in those counties are going to have a problem with you because of the closeness you have with corrupt governors and the problem they are facing in their counties," he added.

Osotsi, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, said Senators will continue to hold governors to account once the money is released to counties, based on the report by the Auditor General.

"There is a lot of untruth outside there. The governors must be accountable for the money they receive every year and when we appropriate that money, they become very happy, but it suddenly becomes an issue when we ask for accountability. We don't ask arbitrary, we ask based on the report released by the Auditor General, and therefore we are going to ensure taxpayers' money is being accounted for," said Osotsi.

Osotsi’s sentiments come barely a week after a section of Senators forcefully handled Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit during his appearance before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) for allegedly snubbing Senators' summons.

However, the Council of Governors (CoG) condemned the incident as unwelcome.

In a statement issued on April 2, CoG chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi accused members of the Senate of subjecting the governor to violence, terming the incident a violation of constitutional rights and an attack on the dignity of public office.

“The Council of Governors unequivocally condemns the shocking and unacceptable assault on Lelit Lati, the Governor of Samburu County, by members of the Senate of Kenya,” Abdullahi said.

He added that the incident not only demeans the dignity of the office of the governor as a head of government, but also violates constitutional protections on human dignity, respect and the peaceful conduct of public affairs.

“The Senate is established as an august house meant to protect the interests of county governments. It is disheartening that this very House has resorted to witch-hunting, harassment, violence and intimidation,” the statement read.

 According to Abdullahi, such conduct undermines democratic norms and erodes public trust.

“At a time when intergovernmental relations demand dialogue and mutual respect, resorting to physical aggression reflects a dangerous erosion of democratic norms and a betrayal of the Kenyan people’s trust,” he said.

The governors have called on the Speaker of the Senate to take action against those involved and ensure accountability.

“We hold that the violent conduct against the Governor of Samburu County constitutes a criminal offence for which legal action will be pursued,” Abdullahi said.

Samburu Governor Lelit Lati, on his part, has vowed to file assault charges against Senators Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), Eddy Oketch (Migori) and Richard Onyonka (Kisii), and said he will stay away from Senate proceedings until his safety is guaranteed.

The statement follows a scuffle after Senate Speaker Amason Kingi ordered the governor’s immediate arrest over his failure to appear before the committee on several occasions.