Sakaja Terms Arrest Move ‘Unwarranted Drama’

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has dismissed attempts to arrest him over failure to appear before a Senate committee as “unwarranted and unnecessary,” insisting the matter is part of a broader institutional dispute between governors and the Senate.

In a statement issued Monday, the Nairobi Governor said the move by the Inspector General of Police to deploy officers for his arrest ignores an ongoing standoff involving the Council of Governors and the Senate of Kenya.

“The issue at hand is not a personal matter concerning Governor Sakaja Johnson, but one that is being handled collectively by the Council of Governors,” he said.

Sakaja defended his absence from the Senate watchdog committee, saying he was acting on guidance from the Council of Governors, which had advised its members not to appear before the committee until key concerns are addressed.

He argued that disagreements between governors and senators should be resolved through institutional mechanisms rather than targeting individual leaders.

“It is therefore misleading to single out one Governor in a matter that is collective and consultative in nature,” he added.

The governor maintained that he has consistently cooperated with parliamentary oversight, noting that he recently appeared before the Senate Lands and Environment Committee and has regularly engaged the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) on audit matters dating back to 2015.

At the same time, Sakaja criticised the manner in which police action was initiated, questioning the timing and necessity of the move.

“There is no justification for creating unnecessary drama or a show of force at night,” he said, adding that he had been available in his office during the day and remained accessible through official channels.

He further revealed that the dispute extends beyond Nairobi, disclosing that 29 governors had been summoned by the same Senate committee on the same day, with only two appearing—and even then declining to address substantive issues in line with the Council’s position.

According to Sakaja, the standoff stems from grievances raised by governors against members of the CPAC committee, including allegations of extortion and intimidation.

Despite the tensions, the governor signalled his willingness to engage once the institutional issues are resolved.

“The Nairobi Governor has always honoured invitations to appear before Senate committees and remains committed to doing so within the confines of the law,” he said.

He called for restraint and urged both the Senate and the Council of Governors to resolve the impasse through dialogue rather than escalating enforcement actions.