Friday, October 7, 2022 – The Supreme Court has today issued a landmark ruling that Senators have powers to summon county governors to respond to questions or provide the information requested from them.
Chief Justice Martha Koome, Justices Mohammed Ibrahim, Smokin Wanjala, Njoki Ndung’u, and William Ouko further ruled that the Senate’s oversight authority is not limited to nationally allocated revenue but extends to locally generated revenue by counties.
“By the same token, if the Senate is of the view that the questions to be answered or information to be provided do not need the personal input of the Governor, it may restrict its summons to the relevant County official or Executive Committee,” the court said.
The Council of governors had argued that the oversight authority of senators was only limited to national revenue, not locally generated revenue.
The apex court also held that the County Assemblies have the power of first-tier oversight over County Government revenue, whether nationally allocated or locally generated.
The court also reiterated that in appearing before the Senate, there is nothing to stop a governor from going with his or her technical team from the country executive.
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