Narok Senator Ledama Olekina has called on the Senate to hold its first-ever Oversight Summit, accusing some county governors of mismanaging public resources.
In a statement on Friday, August 15, Olekina claimed that devolution had been hijacked by a few leaders for personal enrichment, leaving counties trapped in debt.
"The Senate of Kenya must urgently convene its 1st Oversight Summit to lay bare how some governors have turned devolution into their personal ATM, drowning counties in debt and endless pending bills," he said.
Olekina also dismissed the annual Devolution Conference as a pointless gathering, alleging that it serves the interests of a select few.
"The so-called Devolution Conference? A cartel’s annual party for impunity, mocking the Constitution and spitting on the rule of law,” he added.
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The Devolution Conference is held every two years by the Council of Governors in collaboration with state and non-state partners.
It serves as a high-level platform that brings together county governors, policymakers, development partners, the private sector and academia.
Each edition is hosted by a different county, with the 2025 event taking place in Homa Bay from August 12 to 15 under the theme, "For the People, For Prosperity: Devolution as a Catalyst for Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice."
Notably, this comes months after Olekina criticized the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), questioning the agency’s impartiality in the fight against corruption.
In a statement on Sunday, April 6, he cast doubt on the EACC’s intentions citing the arrest of a governor whose region was ranked fourth in a report on corruption.
"Is the EACC also involved in corruption? How can you release a report identifying the most corrupt counties and then arrest the governor of county number 4 while skipping the top-ranked county?" he asked.
Ole Kina noted that accountability must be applied uniformly, warning that selective arrests could erode public trust in anti-corruption institutions.
"It's essential to arrest and bring the governors of counties 1 through 3 to court as well so we can have a clearer understanding of the situation," he added.
