A first term Governor is facing arrest after the Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare fined him Ksh500,000 for snubbing them. Senators slapped Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo with the fine for ignoring summons to address allegations of recruitment irregularities within his county government.
During a session on Tuesday, October 1, the Committee, chaired by West Pokot Senator Julius Murgor, directed Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to arrest the Governor.
Senators stated that this action aligns with Section 19(3) of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act, enforcing the Governor’s appearance before the Committee to provide the requested information.
Embu Senator Alexander Mundigi proposed the motion, and nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba seconded it. Senators expressed frustration with Governor Hassan’s persistent defiance of Senate oversight.
“If the Senate itself cannot get a Governor’s attention, how can the people of Isiolo hold him accountable? I strongly support Senator Mundigi’s proposal to compel his appearance before this Committee and ensure he answers to the people as well,” said Orwoba.
Senators Slam Guyo
Orwoba also called for stricter measures against Governor Hassan, criticizing the inaction of Isiolo’s Members of County Assembly (MCAs).
“This Governor’s outright refusal to appear before any Senate Committee is not just an insult to this institution but a blatant offence. The Isiolo MCAs need to act, and impeachment should be on the table,” she added.
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The Committee voiced concern over Governor Hassan’s repeated non-compliance.
Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki noted a previous instance when the Governor ignored a similar summons from the Senate Finance Committee.
“This governor has developed a notorious reputation for avoiding Senate sessions. We faced the same issue when he was summoned by the Finance Committee, and once again, he failed to appear,” Faki remarked.
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Allegations Facing Isiolo County
The Labour Committee’s inquiry centers on allegations of irregular recruitment practices within Isiolo County.
Earlier, Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo submitted a request to the Committee for documents detailing human resource policies, payroll records, and the county’s staff list.
The investigation follows an Auditor General’s report for the 2022/23 financial year, which highlighted serious financial mismanagement within the county.
The report noted a failure to remit Ksh17.9 million in statutory deductions, the retention of staff beyond the mandatory retirement age, and payments to employees outside the Integrated Personnel Payroll Database (IPPD).
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