Samburu Governor Jonathan Lelelit Lati in a Past Function.File Photo 
By Andrew Mbuva
The Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) has taken unprecedented action against Samburu Governor Jonathan Lelelit Lati after he repeatedly failed to honour its invitations and a formal summons requiring him to appear before the committee.
In a strongly worded resolution, the committee announced that it has imposed a KSh500,000 fine on the governor and directed the Inspector-General of Police to arrest and produce him before the Senate to facilitate its oversight mandate.
According to CPAC, the governor was first invited on May 5, 2025, to appear before the committee on May 20, 2025, to discuss the status of actions taken to address issues flagged in the Auditor-General’s Report on Samburu County’s 2023/2024 financial statements. Despite multiple subsequent written requests, Governor Lati allegedly failed to honour any of the appearances.
His continued non-compliance prompted the committee to escalate the matter. On November 3, 2025, CPAC issued an official summons ordering him to appear on December 1, 2025—an order he also failed to honour.
The committee cited Article 125 of the Constitution, which empowers Parliament and its committees to summon any person for the purpose of providing information, and grants them powers equivalent to those of the High Court in enforcing attendance and compelling the production of documents.
Additionally, the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act outlines clear penalties for witnesses who defy summonses. Section 19 allows the committee to impose fines up to KSh500,000 and even order the arrest of individuals who fail to appear without sufficient cause. Section 27 further criminalises such failure, prescribing fines or imprisonment upon conviction.
“In light of the repeated defiance and failure to honour both invitations and formal summons, the Committee resolves to fine Hon. Jonathan Lelelit Lati KSh500,000 and directs the Inspector-General to arrest and produce him before the Committee,” the resolution reads.
This move underscores the Senate’s insistence on enforcing accountability in county governments and reinforces Parliament’s constitutional mandate to oversee the use of national revenue allocated to counties.
With the arrest order now issued, all eyes turn to the Inspector-General of Police to execute the directive and ensure Governor Lati is presented before the Senate as required.
