The Senate Energy Committee has requested the Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome to arrest Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
In a statement on Thursday, April 11, Senator Edwin Sifuna, who is a member of the committee, indicated that Sakaja had failed to show up for grilling over the Mradi gas explosion incident.
Therefore, the committee, led by Nyeri Senator Wamatinga Wahome asked IG Koome to present the Nairobi governor before the committee on April 25.
In addition, Sakaja was fined a sum of Ksh500,000 by the committee.
“The Senate Energy Committee looking into the Mradi gas explosion in Embakasi has resolved to fine Governor Sakaja another Ksh500,000 and requested the IG of Police to arrest and present him to the committee on 25th April 2024. He failed to appear again this morning,” stated Sifuna.
In response, Sakaja stated that the senators knew that he would be out of the country adding that he would continue to appear before the committee.
“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,” Sakaja said.
Also Read: Sakaja Gives Fresh Orders on All Gas Plants in Nairobi Estates
Earlier Instances of Sakaja Failing to Appear Before Senate Committee
Earlier on March 21, the committee summoned Sakaja for failing to appear before it over the Embakasi gas explosion. Additionally, the members expressed their dissatisfaction that the governor sent a regret letter at 8:15am instead of communicating earlier about his absence.
According to the regret letter, the governor was to attend the burial ceremony of the father of the Embakasi Central MP Majja Donk taking place in Nyeri County.
After the incident, Sifuna indicated that there was a motion that sought to give Senate powers to arrest leaders for failing to appear before their committees on several occasions.
Following the Mradi explosion, the governor in February ordered the closure of all illegal gas plants within Nairobi estates.
He asked the subcounty administrators to effect the order which he noted would enhance the safety of Kenyans.
“I have directed all the 17 subcounty administration officers to ensure all gas businesses operating within residential areas are closed with immediate effect,’ he stated.
Also Read: Sakaja Under Fire Over Ksh10.7 Billion Arrears Owed to 11 Lawyers
Storm Over Sakaja’s Leadership
Earlier on April 5, Embakasi East Member of Parliament, Babu Owino called for the impeachment of Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja for financial mismanagement and gross misconduct.
He based his argument on findings detailed in the Auditor General’s report on counties including anomalies in asset acquisition, ghost workers, pending bills, suspicious bank accounts, and unaccounted payments amounting to billions of shillings.
“There is serious pilferage of funds in Nairobi County. There is serious defrauding of the hard-earned money for the Nairobians, and there is serious misrepresentation of funds,” stated Babu.
At the same time, the report indicated that the county owed eleven legal practitioners Ksh10.74 billion and that Nairobi County had only 167 employees out of 13,354 categorized as persons with disabilities, a number that fell below the required 5 percent.
“Further, analysis of the revenue against the legal fees revealed that eleven (11) advocates out of a legal list of eight hundred and thirty-two (832) cases, are owed a total of Kshs.10,741,451,631 which is more than the total County own source revenue collected of Kshs.10,561,592,492,” states the Auditor General Report.
