The Senate County Public Accounts Committee has imposed a Ksh500,000 fine on Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and directed that he be arrested for contempt of Parliament.
The committee instructed the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to apprehend the governor and produce him before the panel on Monday, March 30.
The decision followed a finding that Sakaja had repeatedly ignored summons requiring his appearance.
Despite being invited on three separate occasions, the governor did not present himself before the committee, leading to formal summons being issued.
"The IG must arrest and present the Governor before the Committee on Monday, March 30. The time of presenting him shall be communicated," Senator Moses Kajwang said while announcing the committee’s resolution.
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The committee is now set to determine whether the governor’s conduct constitutes a gross breach of the Constitution, a finding that could raise questions about his suitability to remain in office.
If the panel concludes that serious violations occurred, it will forward its recommendations to the Senate for further action.
At the same time, senators criticised Sakaja's administration, drawing heavily from findings in the Auditor General’s report for the 2024/25 financial year.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna pressed the committee to ensure the governor is held accountable for the county’s financial management.
"The only place I can face the Governor and demand accountability is in this Senate, before this Committee," he said.
Sifuna also flagged concerns about possible misuse of public funds, among them Ksh840 million listed under personnel expenses without any accompanying documentation such as beneficiary records, invoices, or approvals to support the expenditure.
The audit further identified seven withdrawals amounting to Ksh1.9 billion from the salary account that lacked payroll summaries, payment vouchers, or formal approvals, and were not processed through the official payroll system.
Additional scrutiny was directed at Ksh544 million reportedly spent on fuel, oil, and lubricants, with auditors questioning how county assets were utilised and whether fuel consumption could be properly accounted for.
During the same period, the county outsourced solid waste collection services to private firms while also maintaining a fleet of 56 garbage trucks, which consumed fuel worth Ksh124.5 million.
Further concerns were raised over the use of Ksh15.7 billion allocated for waste collection, transport, and disposal.
The committee also criticised Sakaja's decision to appoint seven advisors earning a combined monthly salary of Ksh10 million, arguing that their roles overlap with those of County Executive Committee Members.
The advisors handle dockets including Health, Mobility, Political Affairs, Economic Affairs, Urban and Regional Planning, Digital, and Innovation.
"The kind of waste the Auditor General has recorded makes me conclude that there should be a stoppage of funds for Nairobi County," Sifuna added.
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