Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu has sparked debate in the Senate after publicly opposing a directive by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) requiring counties to construct official residences for governors.

Governor Irungu raised the objections while appearing before the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) to defend Laikipia County’s revenue and expenditure accounts for the 2024/25 financial year, arguing that the expenditure was unjustified given the hardships faced by residents in rural counties.

In a session before the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee, Nandi Governor Stephen Sang and his executive faced a barrage of criticism over what lawmakers termed systemic financial failure and legal negligence. The committee, led by sessional chair Sen. William Kisang, scrutinized the management of Kapsabet Nandi Water and Sanitation Company, Kapsabet Municipality, and the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital (KCRH).

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The County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) is exploring alternative legal measures to compel governors to appear before Parliament and account for funds allocated to their counties, in line with constitutional oversight provisions.

In recent days, the Committee has expressed frustration as several governors, allegedly with the support of the National Police Service, have failed to honour summons, undermining Parliament’s oversight role.

The County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) has directed Vihiga Governor Wilbur Ottichilo to surcharge accounting officers over Sh1.9 million advanced to county staff as salary loans between 2015 and 2017 but never recovered.

The directive followed a revelation in the Auditor-General’s report for the 2024/25 financial year, which shows that only Sh85,000 of the amount had been repaid.

The Mombasa County Executive led by Governor Abdulswamad Nassir faced intense scrutiny as the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee, chaired by Sessional chair Senator Eddy Oketch, examined damning audit queries revealing systemic failures across healthcare facilities and the county's water company.