Institutional Warfare Erodes Devolution’s Promise

Devolution was designed to bring services closer to the people. But when institutions charged with protecting it turn against each other, citizens—not politicians become the real casualties.

The fallout between the Senate’s County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), the County Public Investments Committee and Special Funds (CIPIC), and the Council of Governors (CoG) has now escalated into a full‑blown standoff.

Governors have vowed not to honour Senate summons until their concerns are addressed, citing harassment, intimidation, and what they describe as political witch‑hunts.

On February 9, 2026, Council of Governors Chair Ahmed Abdullahi declared: “The council has resolved that governors will not appear before the Senate Public Accounts Committee until issues are addressed.”

At the heart of the dispute are accusations by governors that unnamed senators use oversight platforms to humiliate and extort county bosses. Senators have firmly rejected the claims, accusing governors of evading accountability.

The Constitution is clear. Article 229(8) of the Constitution directs Parliament or county assemblies to debate audit reports within three months and take appropriate action. Article 125 empowers committees to summon leaders to provide evidence or information. These provisions are not decorative—they safeguard public resources.

Oversight without trust, however, quickly turns adversarial.

On February 11, 2026, Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa, speaking on Citizen TV’s Daybreak, sought to calm tensions: “I want to just reaffirm our commitment to accountability and prudent use of public resources and what governors have raised really is not an issue of running away from accountability.”

Nyamira Senator Okongo Omogeni also painted a grim picture of county governance: “In most of our counties we have just created millionaires in the counties but not transformed the lives of our people. I’ll be happy if we can have our conversation geared towards improving governors at the county level because that is where the problem is.”

He added: "There is no good supporters of devolution than senators—we fight so hard to give resources to counties.”

CPAC Chair Moses Kajwang maintained a firm but measured stance: “We are firm or I am firm but I am also fair to the governors and that’s why I allow them to submit their evidence. Ideally they should not be bringing evidence to the Senate.”

CIPIC Chair Godfrey Osotsi struck a harder tone: “We will also use our powers. If they don’t want accountability then they have no reason receiving money from us. We will stop the money and then see who is going to suffer.”

And therein lies the danger.

If the standoff deepens, development projects may stall. Contractors  may go unpaid. Health facilities may  lack medicine. County staff may face delayed salaries. Citizens—especially in rural and marginalized regions—bear the brunt.

Oversight is not harassment. But neither should it become theatre. When accountability sessions devolve into political spectacle, the credibility of institutions suffers. When governors boycott summons, constitutional order is strained.

The bigger question is this: Can devolution survive prolonged institutional warfare?

The Senate’s mandate is constitutional. Governors’ demand for dignity and fairness is legitimate. But service delivery cannot be held hostage in a contest of egos.

Devolution was meant to empower citizens, not entrench endless battles. If both sides fail to recalibrate, the promise of devolution risks being reduced to political drama—while the ordinary Kenyan waits for water, healthcare, roads, and jobs.

And in that waiting, trust in the system quietly erodes.

Stay connected with us on WhatsApp and TikTok for instant updates and breaking news as it happens.