Senators confirmed that governors have ended their boycott of oversight sessions following a negotiated truce reached after weeks of closed-door discussions.
The breakthrough, announced on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, during Senate proceedings, allows governors to resume appearances before key committees, effectively ending a standoff that had hindered accountability.
Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot emphasized on the Senate floor that the agreement depended on governors retracting their hardline stance.
“Yesterday, during our leadership meeting with the CPAC and CPIC, we clearly communicated to the Council that they must first withdraw their demands for non-appearance before CPAC before resolving this matter,” he stated.
The dispute arose from allegations that some Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) members engaged in extortion, prompting the Council of Governors to boycott oversight appearances.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi and Council of Governors chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi led the negotiations, with meetings held on April 20 and April 26 in Parliament.
Under the new agreement, governors will attend CPAC sessions, drop demands for the removal of four senators accused of corruption, and refrain from public criticism of the Senate. In return, senators will address extortion claims internally, maintain decorum during proceedings, and respect governors’ appearances. They also committed to considering increased county allocations in the upcoming financial year.
Mandera Senator Ali Roba assured the House that the mediation team effectively represented Senate interests.
“I was part of that committee of 12, including the Deputy Speaker. Our House’s interests were accurately represented, despite the name-calling,” he remarked.
Cheruiyot confirmed that governors would immediately resume their appearances.
“They willingly agreed to appear before those committees starting today. With members present at that meeting, there’s no reason to hold the House hostage,” he asserted.
Roba also expressed regret for not updating senators sooner on the talks’ progress.
“We concluded that our primary responsibility is to represent county governments. I apologize for not briefing the House earlier and assure you we represented your interests,” he stated.
As the agreement took effect, Senate business resumed with discussions on the Division of Revenue Bill 2026, indicating a return to normal operations.
The Senate Finance and Budget Committee proposed allocating Ksh454 billion to counties in the next financial year, an increase from the current Ksh415 billion. Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi highlighted that the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) recommended Ksh459 billion, while the National Assembly suggested Ksh420 billion.
Tensions persisted during the session as Migori Senator Eddy Oketch faced ejection and a three-day suspension for disorderly conduct, while Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei criticized what he called wasteful county spending.
“A governor allocated Ksh5 million for a housewarming. Is that a prudent use of resources? In Nandi, a governor spent Ksh41 million on car hire services. Is that wise?” he questioned.
