Senators have ordered the arrest of Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika over failure to honour summons.
Governor Kihika was scheduled to appear before the Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations to give submissions on a petition concerning the alleged forced disappearances of young fishermen at Lake Nakuru National Park, but failed to attend any of the proceedings.
In a session on Monday, the Committee, chaired by Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo, said the governor had repeatedly ignored invitations and formal summons issued in relation to the ongoing inquiry, forcing members to take measures to ensure she appears before them.
“Governor Kihika is among the key stakeholders expected to provide submissions in the Committee’s consideration of a petition concerning the alleged forced disappearances of young fishermen at Lake Nakuru National Park. However, despite being required to appear, she has not attended any of the proceedings,” the Committee said.
The legislators said Governor Kihika’s attendance was necessary as part of investigations into the petition, which seeks answers on the alleged disappearance of fishermen at the lake.
Members resolved to use legal measures to compel her appearance before the committee to respond to questions raised during the inquiry.
The Committee also directed that fresh sampling and testing of fish from Lake Nakuru be conducted after petitioners rejected a report presented by the Kenya Fisheries Service.
The petitioners raised concerns that the earlier exercise was conducted by the Kenya Fisheries Service (KFS) and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) without involving all stakeholders, contrary to earlier directions issued by the Committee.
The Committee ordered that the repeat exercise should be carried out in the presence of committee members, petitioners and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the credibility and transparency of the findings.
Members further resolved to summon officials from the Ministries of Tourism and Wildlife, Agriculture and Interior to address issues arising from the petition before a final report is prepared.
The Committee later held a meeting with Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi to discuss concerns surrounding the degazettement of the Capitol Hill Police Station.
During the meeting, Mudavadi told the Committee that due process had been followed in the degazettement and transfer of the land, adding that the process was guided by Cabinet approval on subdivision.
According to submissions made before the Committee, the beneficiaries of the subdivided land include the African Trade Insurance Agency, which received two acres, the Financial Sector Regulators, allocated two acres, and St John Ambulance, which received one acre.
Mudavadi defended the allocations, saying the African Trade Insurance Agency intends to establish its headquarters on the site to strengthen investment insurance capacity across Africa and particularly in Kenya, which remains the agency’s largest shareholder.
He added that the Financial Sector Regulators would use their allocation to develop a consolidated headquarters in line with Cabinet approval issued in 2023, while the allocation to St John Ambulance followed an earlier Cabinet decision made in 2021.
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