Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja pushed back against the move by the Inspector General of Police to deploy officers for his arrest, terming the action “unwarranted and unnecessary” and insisting the matter at hand is institutional not personal.
He said in a statement the arrest order arising from his failure to appear before a Senate watchdog committee ignores an ongoing standoff between 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,” the statement read.
Sakaja defended his absence, saying he was acting on guidance from the Council of Governors, which advised members not to appear before the specific Senate committee until broader concerns are resolved. He argued that disputes between governors and senators “should be addressed institutionally… not through actions targeting an individual governor.”
At the same time, he noted he has appeared before multiple Senate committees, including the Lands and Environment Committee as recently as last week, and has frequently engaged the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) on audit issues dating back to 2015.
“It is therefore misleading to single out one Governor in a matter that is collective and consultative in nature,” he said.
The Governor also criticized the manner in which police were deployed, questioning the timing and necessity of the operation.
“There is no justification for creating unnecessary drama or a show of force at night,” the statement said, adding that he had been in office throughout the day and remained accessible through official channels.
Sakaja further revealed that the standoff 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 matters in line with the Council’s position.
The dispute, he says, stems from unresolved issues raised by Governors against members of the CPAC committee, including allegations of “extortion and intimidation.”
Despite the escalating tension, Sakaja signaled willingness to engage once the institutional disagreements 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,” the statement concluded.
He called for restraint and dialogue, urging both the Senate and the Council of Governors to resolve the impasse “amicably, respectfully, and through structured dialogue,” rather than escalating enforcement actions.
Sakaja escaped from City Hall as police arrived to arrest him for presentation to the Senate.
Sakaja had been in office on Monday evening when a team of police officers arrived seeking to arrest him.
He is said to have sneaked out through the back door and escaped. This was as the police officers were using the main door.
Nairobi police boss Issa Mohamud said they are looking for him for arrest.
“He should know he is wanted and surrender to avoid more drama,” said Mohamud.
Police spokesman Michael Muchiri told the governor to surrender to authorities as required.
A Senate watchdog committee had fined Sakaja Sh500,000 and ordered his arrest for contempt of Parliament.
The County Public Accounts Committee directed Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to arrest the governor and present him before the committee on Monday, March 30, after finding him guilty of failing to honour multiple summons.
Sakaja had been invited three times to appear before the committee but failed to do so, prompting the issuance of summons. He was expected to explain how billions of shillings allocated to Nairobi City County were spent.
“The IG must arrest and present the Governor before the Committee on Monday, March 30. The time of presenting him shall be communicated,” said Senator Moses Kajwang while delivering the verdict.
The committee is expected to deliberate on whether the governor’s actions amount to gross violation of the Constitution, potentially rendering him unfit to hold public office.
Should the committee find him in serious breach of the law, it will make recommendations to the Senate, whose resolution could significantly impact his political future, especially ahead of the 2027 General Election.
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