Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General, Erustus Kanga, has come under criticism from a parliamentary committee after repeatedly failing to appear before it.
In a session on Wednesday, April 15, the National Assembly of Kenya Committee on Cohesion and Equal Opportunities, chaired by Mandera West Adan Yussuf Haji, expressed frustration over Kanga’s absence from three consecutive sittings.
Kanga had been expected to appear at Bunge Tower to respond to concerns surrounding a human-wildlife conflict incident reported in Kisima Location in Samburu County.
Lawmakers said they were prepared to question him on the increasing cases of such conflicts, which have resulted in deaths, injuries, and damage to property.
According to the committee chair, the KWS boss had reached out informally to explain his absence but did not follow through with an official written response as required.
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"The DG called me and explained why he would not attend, but I asked him to do so formally in writing, which he has not done," he said.
Members of the committee did not hide their dissatisfaction, with Luanda MP Dick Maungu accusing the Director General of disregarding parliamentary authority.
"The Committee should recommend his arrest and have him brought before us, as he has ignored our invitations for the third time," he stated.
Maungu further pointed out that parliamentary Standing Orders empower committees to take action against individuals who fail to honour official invitations.
"The Committee should impose a fine of Ksh500,000 on the DG for failing to attend sittings as required by law," he added.
THE committee chair confirmed that a formal summons will be issued to compel Kanga’s attendance, warning that failure to comply will attract financial penalties.
"I want to remind the DG that any fine must be paid from his own pocket, not from public funds," he said.
This comes two weeks after a dramatic scene unfolded at the Senate after Speaker Amason Kingi ordered the arrest of Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit.
Speaking on the matter, Kingi clarified that the directive was based on an existing arrest warrant against the governor.
"I will order the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort the Governor of Samburu, if he is still within the premises of Parliament, to the nearest police station. I’m saying that because the Governor of Samburu is under a warrant of arrest," Kingi said.
Notably, Kingi made the directive after Lelelit, who was expected to appear before the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), had been involved in a physical standoff with several senators.
The scuffle involved senators Edwin Sifuna, Enoch Wambua, and Richard Onyonka of Nairobi, Kitui and Kisii counties respectively.
The lawmakers reportedly attempted to compel Lelelit to enter Parliament buildings to answer to the committee.
