IG Kanja In Trouble Over Failure to Arrest 'Untouchable' Governor

The Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) has summoned Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to explain why police failed to arrest and present Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo before the committee.

Kanja was expected to appear before the Senate on Monday, September 7, after previously being directed to arrest Guyo following his failure to honour a Senate summons.

Instead, the police chief sent a letter informing the committee that he could not attend because he was scheduled to travel to China. Kanja explained that he had already formed a special police team to locate and arrest the governor.

According to Kanja, the operation was unsuccessful after Guyo allegedly received information about the planned arrest and managed to evade the police dragnet. The explanation, however, did not satisfy the committee, which demanded that the Inspector General appear personally and account for the failed operation.

CPAC Chairperson Moses Kajwang criticised the police response, arguing that the incident created the impression that the National Police Service was unable to enforce a lawful Senate directive. He maintained that the failure to arrest a prominent public official raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of the police service.

The committee had ordered Guyo's appearance as it investigates audit queries concerning the use of billions of shillings allocated to Isiolo County. The governor is expected to respond to questions arising from reports by the Auditor-General regarding county finances.

The Senate has also involved the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission in the matter amid concerns over the possible misuse of public resources. The investigation is intended to establish whether county funds were properly managed and used for their intended purposes.

The latest summons places renewed pressure on Kanja to explain why the police have been unable to execute the Senate's directive. The committee is now seeking a direct explanation from the Inspector General rather than relying on correspondence about the unsuccessful arrest attempt.

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