Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has been fined Ksh500,000 for failing to appear before the Senate Committee on Roads, Transportation and Housing for the record sixth time.
According to the committee’s Chairperson Kiambu Senator Karungo Thangwa, Sakaja was invited the first time on 30th November, 2022.
However, one year down the line the Governor has never showed up at the committee meetings despite being invited and later summoned.
“I hereby order Nairobi Governor to personally pay Ksh500,000 from his pocket and not to charge the fine to Nairobi County coffers. The governor should cut short his foreign trip and appear in person before this committee on Thursday, 30th November, 2023 at 11 am without fail,” ordered Thangwa.
“Governor Sakaja should furnish the committee with his boarding pass, passport and visa to prove that he was out of the country,” he added.
Sakaja had been summoned to appear before the committee to deliberate on the implementation of a programme on urban regeneration and renewal of the old estates in Nairobi.
“We are guided by the Senate Standing Orders and Parliamentary Powers & Privileges Act, therefore when the Nairobi Governor ignores the invites and summons of the committee, he contravenes the law,” posited Samburu Senator Dr. Lelegwe Ltumbesi.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna implored the committee to suspend all the regeneration projects in Nairobi estates until the Nairobi City County Governor appears before the committee in person.
He added that if the Governor fails to appear on Thursday this week, then the committee should order the Inspector General to arrest and produce the Governor to the committee.