- Dullo had sought to know the actions the county administration was undertaking to restore order at the Isiolo County Referral hospital.
- The Committee directed Police IG Police Japhet Koome and DPP Renson Ingonga to arrest and prosecute Guyo.
Image: ICG
Senators have threatened to stop the disbursement of funds to counties whose Governors have refused to appear before them for accountability purposes.
The development comes after Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo failed to show up before the Senate Health Committee to explain the status of the county morgue.
The Committee directed Police IG Police Japhet Koome and DPP Renson Ingonga to arrest and prosecute Guyo for contempt and various violations of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act.
Committee chairman Jackson Mandago castigated the attitude of the Governor towards the committee, adding that they summoned the Governor to appear but failed to heed the summons.
“We are left with no other choice other than to ask the IG and the DPP to arrest and prosecute the Governor. Having allowed him to respond to the issues that have taken more than six months, and refused to appear. He has exhibited the highest contempt to the Senate and this committee,” Mandago said.
The summons stemmed from a statement sought by area Senator Fautma Dullo.
Dullo had sought to know the actions the county administration was undertaking to restore order at the Isiolo County Referral Hospital.
"We have taken our bodies to Meru, but they are now saying their morgue is full," Dullo said.
Dullo claimed that nurses in the county have not been paid for four months, NHIF deductions have not been remitted and ambulances are not operating.
She added that no oversight is working in the County.
“I will recommend that the budget going to Isiolo should be stopped after all it is not helping the people of Isiolo. We are suffering. I will bring a statement on the floor of the House to stop budget until they respect Senate,” Dullo said.
However, in a quick rejoinder, the governor took issue with the county Senator Dullo, accusing her of 'peddling lies' and 'driving personal political agenda against his administration.
“I will not succumb to intimidation and blackmail of one senator. If my senator feels there is malpractice, she knows the right agencies to petition to investigate me. She should not lie about our county,” Guyo said.
The first-term Governor clarified that his administration had handed over the site of the morgue for construction and refurbishment and that the morgue would only be handed over to the County once the works had been completed.
“We have handed the site to the contractor. It is the contractor who has put the signpost and iron sheet. The site must be secured because he is working on it," he said.
Guyo said that he is willing to account for the people of Isiolo and the relevant agencies that are mandated to oversight my administration.
“Our senator has sought several statements on the floor of the house. Nearly every standing committee has a statement sought by her. What is her intention?” charged Guyo.
However, during the committee deliberation, the chairman clarified that the 'matter before this committee is not a matter for Fatuma Dullo but a matter that affects the citizens of Isiolo on service delivery.
Mandago said the committee relied on the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act Section 19 (3) states that ‘Parliament or its committee may order the arrest of a person who fails to honour a summons.
The same act in section 19 says that ‘where a witness summoned does not appear or appears but fails to satisfy the relevant House of Parliament or committee, the relevant House or Committee may impose upon the witness such fine, not exceeding Sh500,000, having regard to the witness’ condition in life and all the circumstances of the case.
The Uasin Gishu senator further said that they were also looking into the provision of the Leadership and Integrity Act on the conduct of State Officers acting in a manner to demean those offices.
“We are asking the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to look into the conduct of such state officers. We shall also be looking into the conduct of the Isiolo County Assembly Speaker on his public utterances as a Senate. The Legal Counsel should ensure that they supply all the necessary evidence to the DPP so that action can be taken immediately to save the people of Isiolo from further suffering,” Mandago said.
Garissa Senator Abdul Haji on the other hand held that the Senate committee should stop acting as if they are toothless but should instead invoke stringent penalties and deal with the Governor.
“It is high time we stop acting as toothless dogs who just bark and there is no bite. I want to guide the legal person, do not give us the most lenient route to take. Tell us the most extreme route that we can take to deal with this governor,” said Haji.