Drama was witnessed at Parliament Buildings after Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki reportedly left the premises moments before he was scheduled to appear before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) on Tuesday, February 3.
The governor had been invited to respond to several audit concerns touching on the use of county funds during the 2024/25 financial year, but events took an unexpected turn when he failed to show up for the session.
According to reports from Parliament, Governor Njuki had already arrived and was waiting in a room assigned to him together with members of his delegation. However, shortly before the committee session began, he allegedly left the room without notifying senators or parliamentary officials.
His sudden absence caused confusion and forced the committee to temporarily halt proceedings as efforts were made to establish his whereabouts.
The situation escalated when the sergeant-at-arms was instructed to search for the governor within the parliamentary precincts.
After checking the designated waiting area and nearby offices, the officer informed the committee that neither the governor nor his team could be located within Parliament at that time.
The announcement shocked members of the committee, who had expected the session to proceed as scheduled.
The hearing had been organised to allow senators to question the governor and senior county officials over several audit queries raised by oversight bodies.
Among the key issues under review were concerns about approximately Ksh400 million reported as voided transactions during the financial year under investigation.
Senators also intended to seek clarification on why the county government had failed to operationalise the Facilities Improvement Fund, a move that reportedly led to revenue generated by public hospitals being redirected to the County Revenue Fund instead of supporting healthcare services directly.
In addition to these matters, the committee was expected to examine complaints from suppliers who allegedly remain unpaid despite providing goods and services to the county.
There were also broader concerns regarding the possible misuse or mismanagement of public funds in previous financial years, which senators said required clear explanations from the county leadership.
Members of the committee reacted strongly to the governor’s absence, terming the incident unprecedented and disrespectful to Parliament.
CPAC chairperson Moses Kajwang expressed disappointment, stating that walking away from a parliamentary committee undermines the authority of oversight institutions and weakens accountability mechanisms in public service.
He noted that Parliament would not tolerate actions that appear to evade scrutiny and confirmed that the committee had agreed to summon the governor formally.
Kajwang further warned that failure to honour a parliamentary summons could attract legal consequences. He explained that appearing before parliamentary committees is not optional for public officers, and that refusal to do so may amount to a statutory offence.
The committee indicated that it could seek the intervention of the Director of Public Prosecutions if necessary.
Other senators also criticised the governor’s conduct, with Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei suggesting that the move appeared calculated and intended to avoid answering difficult questions arising from the audit report.
Several members argued that public officials must remain accountable to oversight institutions, especially when handling public resources.
The matter also brought renewed attention to the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act, which grants parliamentary committees authority similar to that of the High Court under Article 125 of the Constitution.
The law allows Parliament to summon individuals, demand documents, and compel witnesses to provide evidence when required. It further states that a public officer who refuses to appear before a committee or declines to give evidence commits an offence under the law.
Senators noted that if an invited witness fails to appear, the committee has the power to issue a summons, impose penalties, or request assistance from law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance.
The committee maintained that Governor Njuki’s actions amounted to a violation of these constitutional and legal provisions, and insisted that the matter would be pursued until the governor appears before the Senate to respond to the audit queries.
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