The Senate Labour Committee has issued a warrant of arrest for Isiolo governor Abdi Hassan Guyo for his refusal to honor the committee’s summons.
The committee chaired by West Pokot Senator Julius Murgor resolved that the first time governor’s actions demonstrates high level of notoriety and disdain for the Senate as an oversight institution of devolved units.
The issue was forwarded by Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo who sought to know answers on the recruitment and employment status in the devolved unit.
“As a committee, we have resolved that the governor should pay Sh500,000 fine from his pocket and he should be arrested and brought before the committee.” The committee chair ruled.
The warrant of arrest comes amidst incessant summons issued by various senate committees including the Senate Health Committee, Senate Committee on Finance and Budget and Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC).
Guyo has also been on record declaring he would only attend Senate summons as and when he wishes even if summoned “five hundred times.” He in an armature viral video footage.
This defiant stance followed a series of missed summonses by the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) which saw a fine Sh500,000 imposed on him.
The committee led by Senator Moses Kajwang’ traveled to Isiolo to question governor Guyo about audit queries only to find the County Assembly and its officials absent.
Kajwang’ warned that they might pursue more severe measures such as halting funds to the county or recommending its dissolution if Guyo continues to snub the summonses.
The Health Committee had already indicted the governor and ordered the Inspector General of Police to arrest him and cause him to appear before the committee.
A notice motion has been filed before the Senate to discuss the conduct of the county boss with threats to halt the resources allocated to them.
The House committee invoked the powers granted to it by the constitution under Article 125, granting it the powers of the High Court to order the arrest of the Governor, who has severally snubbed their invites and summons.
The warrant will be prepared by the Clerk of the Senate and signed by Senator Murgor in his capacity as the chair.
It will then be presented to the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga for action-being presented to the committee to answer the audit queries and, if necessary, dragged to court to face criminal charges.
The Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act Section 19 states ‘where a witness summoned does not appear, or appears but fails to satisfy the relevant House of Parliament or committee, the relevant House or Committee may impose upon the witness such fine, not exceeding Sh500,000, or jailed for a jail term not exceeding 6 Months or both jail and fine.’
Mombasa Senator Mohammed Faki echoed that the notoriety of governor Guyo is a show of disdain on Senate as an oversight institution of devolved units and cannot be tolerated.
“I believe a warrant of arrest would be the best remedy for now. Let the pressure be on the Inspector General to bring him before the committee.” Faki said.
Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba expressed that Senator Guyo’s failure to appear before the Senate was a clear sign that his constituents were receiving a raw deal in development.
“If we are unable to get him as committee then his people haven’t probably seen him for years. He should be arrested and produced here in the interest of devolution. This is a repeat offender we have all witnessed and actually talked to Senator Dullo on the matter. We should not be at all lenient, we should just issue of warrant.” Orwoba remarked.
On his part, Embu Senator Alex Mundigi said that: “This arrest warrant will give us mileage to support devolution and the grassroot people. Even if he has been summoned by other committees, he will learn to respect us.”
Guyo is not new to controversies and snubbing summons by various Senate Committees in the past.
In September 19, 2024, Guyo summoned for the second time by the Senate Finance and Budget Committee to address pressing questions concerning pending bills from the Financial Years 2013/2014 to 2022/2023.
Guyo was also required to clarify on the expenditure of funds and the use of emergency relief funds in Isiolo County
This was the second time for Guyo to be required to appear before the Finance and Budget Committee of the Senate after he failed to honour a previous summon received on August 1, 2024.
Instead, the Isiolo governor who previously served as Kayole Member of County Assembly (MCA) in Nairobi county before his election to his current position sent a letter requesting a rescheduling of his appearance, a move that Senators criticized as casual.
Isiolo Senator has demanded that the Governor also account for the funds allocated for emergency relief in the Fiscal Years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024.
“You cannot respond to a summon with a letter.” Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance and Budget Ali Roba of Mandera county retorted.
Roba expressed disappointment with the governor Guyo’s failure to comply with the Senate’s summon.
“You cannot use the excuse of an informal meeting to avoid a summon by a constitutional body.” Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale remarked.
Mombasa Senator Faki further criticized governor Guyo’s repeated failure to respond to Senate summons, stressing that the Senate must be firm to ensure devolution works as intended by the Constitution.
In July this year, Guyo coldshouldered summons by the Senate Health Committee Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago to explain the operational state and alleged mismanagement of the Isiolo County Referral Hospital mortuary but failed to show up.
Dullo in a statement read on the floor of the House had sought answers regarding the operations and management of the county morgue.
Instead, Guyo, through the County Secretary Dade Boru sent written responses explaining the condition of the mortuary.
“I direct that the governor appears on Tuesday [because] the matter we want [do discuss] is for county government to act on the morgue.” Mandago said while issuing the summon.
Dullo who had showed up for the meeting, hit at Governor Guyo led administration for running down healthcare facilities, saying that ‘nothing’ is happening in the county on matters of health.
According to Dullo, the county lacks functional ambulances and that does not remit statutory deductions to the National Hospital and Insurance Fund (NHIF) for employee coverage.
“From the statement, you can see the matters are weight but the county seems not serious. I want this committee to help the people of Isiolo because nothing is happening. Pregnant women have been forced to walk for several kilometers because sub-county hospitals are not functional.” Dullo said.
