Senators have threatened unspecified sanctions on the Transport CS James Macharia for snubbing a committee probing the controversial SGR cargo order.
The Senate Transport Committee chaired by Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi expressed disappointment in Macharia for snubbing three invites by the committee.
Yesterday, the CS confirmed to the committee that he would attend the session at 8am only to fail after senators adjusted their schedules to sit in the morning.
Macharia instead sent a delegation led by CAS Chris Obure to represent him as he was attending a Cabinet meeting.
“The cabinet secretary has zero respect for senators, it can’t be that every time he is called to appear he must have an excuse,” Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua said.
“Now that he is not here, the committee should take action against him. It appears he is not serious on this important issue. This issue is a source of livelihood for the people, their business has suffered because of this order,” Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki said.
Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior demanded tougher action on the CS to debunk a notion that some Cabinet Secretaries are more special than others.
The committee issued summons directing that the CS appear in person within 14 days failure which they will take unspecified action.
“The ruling is that the CS and the director-generals at Kenya National Highways Authority, Kenya Roads Authority and National Transport and Safety Authority are summoned to appear without fail within 14 days,” Wamatangi ruled.
Wamatangi also directed that the CS and his ministry cater for transport and other costs incurred by the transporters in travelling to Nairobi to attend the two committee sittings.
The Senate team was to quiz the CS on the order to have all cargo be transported through the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from the Port of Mombasa.
Although the government directed suspension of the order, it is still being implemented, causing paralysis at the port.
The committee was to meet the CS alongside Mombasa transporters who had petitioned the senate over the implementation of the order.
