By Team
The County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) has re-invited Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to appear before it to explain why he has not arrested Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo and presented him before the Committee.
The Inspector General had been scheduled to appear before the Committee on Monday, September 7, 2026, to explain to Senators the circumstances under which the National Police Service has failed to arrest the Governor and produce him before the Committee.
However, Mr Kanja did not show up for the meeting and instead sent a letter, which the Committee rejected, dismissing the reasons advanced therein.
In the letter, the IG said he was scheduled to travel to China on an official visit on the same day of his appearance and requested the Committee to reschedule the sitting to a more suitable date upon his return.
The IG said he had constituted a special team to arrest the Governor and present him before the Committee.
“Apparently, the Governor got wind of it and successfully evaded our dragnet,” he said in the letter.
However, the Committee rejected this line of argument and accused the IG of trivialising an important national matter.
“The wording in the letter is not useful at all,” said Senator Moses Kajwang’, the Chairperson of the Committee, noting that the language was casual.
“It is unfortunate that the impression he creates in the letter is that the NPS is clueless, ineffective and powerless.”
He said Governor Guyo is a well-known public figure and that there could be no excuse for the police failing to arrest him.
“The failure by the police to arrest such a known public figure is sending the wrong signal to the public.”
Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo said the IG was contemptuous of Parliament, accusing him of using every available excuse to avoid appearing before the Senate.
The Senator urged the Committee to convince the Senate to compel Mr Kanja to appear before the plenary and explain why he had not arrested the Governor, who has skipped all the Committee’s invitations and summonses.
“It is not enough for the IG to explain to the Committee his efforts,” said Senator Dullo, adding that the Governor was campaigning across Isiolo in the company of police officers.
“This Committee should move the House to compel the IG to appear before the Committee of the Whole,” she said, adding that the Senate risks losing the trust of the people of Isiolo if it fails to act and ensure the police comply with its directive.
The proposal to summon the IG before the Committee received the support of Senator Samson Cherarkey, the Vice Chairperson of the Committee.
“We are being mob-lynched by the public on matters of accountability. People think we are not serious,” said the Senator.
“Let’s issue the summons because this is contempt. He has defied the invitation and we should make him appreciate the importance of respecting constitutional institutions.”
However, Senator Okong’o Omogeni called for caution as he opposed the issuance of summons against the police chief.
“If we can confirm that his trip to China is legitimate, the best solution would be to give him another date to appear,” he said, warning the Committee against creating enmity with the NPS.
“We have a good working relationship with the IG. Taking the route of issuing summons will take the focus away from the real issue, which is the Governors who are running away from accountability.”
Senator Enock Wambua supported calls to escalate the issue and have the IG taken to the Committee of the Whole.
In his ruling, the chair acknowledged the concerns raised by members and directed that the issues surrounding the challenges facing the County Government of Isiolo and those of the IG should be isolated.
“We reiterate that the IG must appear before this Committee and explain why he has failed to arrest the Governor.”
It was also decided that a special report specific to the challenges facing the budgetary issues and accountability specific to Isiolo be prepared and tabled in the House before October.
Among the recommendations in the report will be a forensic audit of the county’s finances.
