Sakaja Fails to Appear Before the Senate Again, Fined Sh500,000

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja was fined Sh500,000 for failing to appear before the Senate Energy Committee.

Sakaja was summoned by the Senate Energy Committee that was looking into the Mradi gas explosion in Embakasi that occurred on February 1, leaving 6 dead and 200 people injured.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna requested the Inspector General (IG) of police, Japhet Koome to arrest the Nairobi governor and present him to the Senate committee.

Sakaja Thursday defended himself saying he was out of the country.

“Appearing before the Senate is a constitutional requirement which I take seriously. It is the same members who announced that I was out of the country on Monday who are now up in arms that I am away.”

“I have appeared severally and will continue to do so. I have no reasons not to answer to respond to any questions raised on Mradi or FY 20-22 audits. Sensationalizing a rescheduling and making the Senate appear as if it acts in vain is what belittles the house,” he said in a post.

He added many appearances by other invitees have been rescheduled due to travel, infirmity or prior booked official engagements.

However, this is not the first summon by a Senate Committee that Sakaja has missed.

On Monday, the County Public Accounts and Investments Committee (CPAIC) censured Sakaja for repeatedly failing to attend scheduled meetings and ignoring the summons.

Sakaja was summoned by CPAIC on April 8 to explain how Sh76 billion was used in four subsequent Financial Years from 2019 to 2023, but he did not comply.

CPAIC has directed the IG to compel the governor to appear before the committee within 14 days.

If the committee finds that the Sh76 billion cannot be accounted for, it can advise the Treasury not to fund Nairobi County and to legal action to be taken against Sakaja.