This archive report was first published on 30 September 2019.
On Monday, the Senate Public Accounts Committee took a drastic measure against Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua, ordering his arrest for contempt.
The committee, chaired by Senator Moses Kajwang', had summoned Mutua multiple times to appear before them and answer queries arising from audit reports of previous financial years.
However, Mutua repeatedly failed to honour the summonses, prompting the committee to invoke Section 19 of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act.
According to the act, Parliament or its committees may order the arrest of a person who fails to honour summons without providing good cause.
Senator Kajwang' stated, 'It is not asking too much for the governor to dedicate a day out of 365 days in a year.'
The committee chairperson also dismissed assertions that the committee was biased against Governor Mutua, saying that their actions were guided by the law.
Published on September 30, 2019, the committee's decision marked a significant escalation in the standoff between the Senate and the Machakos Governor.
