Political rivalry between senators eyeing gubernatorial positions in 2027 and incumbent governors is fueling the escalating confrontations between the county chiefs and the lawmakers.

Governors and senators are trading accusations over intimidation, corruption, and abuse of oversight powers.

But at the centre of the standoff is a growing list of senators who have declared interest in the county top seats in the 2027 General Election — a development governors say has turned constitutionally mandated accountability forums into political battlefields.

The Council of Governors (CoG), chaired by Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, has accused members of key Senate watchdog committees of weaponising audit sessions to weaken county chiefs ahead of the polls.

The governors have since suspended appearances before Senate committees until Senate Speaker Amason Kingi convenes a meeting to address what they describe as harassment and political targeting.

“The CoG notes with great concern the continuous political witch-hunt, harassment, intimidation, and humiliation of governors by certain senators when they appear before the Public Accounts Committee of the Senate,” Abdullahi said.

The boycott comes as the number of senators signalling bids for governorships continues to rise, setting the stage for intense political contests in several counties.

However, senators have dismissed claims that their oversight is politically driven, insisting they are safeguarding public resources.

CPAC chairman Moses Kajwang’ said scrutiny of governors is a constitutional duty, not a favour. He accused the governors of attempting to evade accountability.

“It is not an option. It is a duty we have to the public. Whether we like you or not, we shall continue fighting for more resources to go to counties and ensure they are properly accounted for,” Kajwang’ said.

Among senators said to be preparing gubernatorial runs are Danson Mungatana (Tana River), Abass Sheikh (Wajir), Fatuma Dullo (Isiolo), Enoch Wambua (Kitui) and Wahome Wamatinga (Nyeri).

Godfrey Osotsi (Vihiga), James Murango (Kirinyaga), James Lomenen (Turkana), Kanar Seki (Kajiado), Boni Khalwale (Kakamega), Samson Cherargei (Nandi) and Okong’o Omogeni (Nyamira) are also eying gubernatorial seats in 2027.

Notably, some of the aspirants — including Dullo, Cherargei, Wambua and Omogeni — sit in the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), which regularly summons governors to answer audit queries.

Governors argue that this dual role creates a conflict of interest and opens the door to politically motivated scrutiny.

Political observer Martin Andati said the ambitions have strained relations between the two levels of leadership and risk undermining objective oversight.

“Many senators want to be governors, and that is the crux of the matter. They are using Senate sessions to expose the rot in the counties and paint governors as corrupt,” Andati said.

The tensions have frequently played out in public, with county bosses and their respective senators clashing during committee sittings.

In Kitui, Senator Enoch Wambua and Governor Julius Malombe recently traded sharp accusations over sand harvesting revenues, while in Nandi, Senator Samson Cherargei and Governor Stephen Sang have been locked in a feud dating back to 2023.

Sang previously accused the senator of engaging in “side shows” instead of interrogating substantive audit issues.

During one heated exchange before the County Public Investments Committee (CPIC), Sang dismissed Cherargei’s questioning as “petty and scandalous,” while the senator maintained he was fulfilling his constitutional mandate.

In Isiolo, the rivalry between Senator Fatuma Dullo and Governor Abdi Guyo escalated into an impeachment attempt last year, which the governor survived.

Dullo has since declared she will challenge Guyo for the seat in 2027.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna accused the CoG of attempting to evade accountability by boycotting summons, saying oversight cannot be suspended because governors feel embarrassed.

“What is oversight? If we give you the money, you use the money, you have to account for it. When governors say they will not appear because they are embarrassed, they embarrass themselves by what they have been doing with public money,” he said.

Sifuna claimed some county chiefs appear before committees unprepared, with incomplete documentation, and in some cases fail to understand their own financial records.

He cited an incident where a governor reportedly said they could not read documents because they had forgotten their glasses.

Senator Cherargei linked the boycott to corruption concerns, pointing to what he termed questionable spending priorities in some counties.

“When you buy seedlings worth Sh59 million in a drought-prone area and cannot explain why that was prioritised over water trucking, then you must answer to the people,” he said.

Analyst Fred Okango defended the Senate committees, saying they were relying on findings from the Auditor-General’s reports, which are legally recognised as the authoritative assessment of public spending.

“If you want to know the truth about spending, read the Auditor-General’s report. Most governors have audit queries. When millions cannot be explained, then the Senate is doing its job,” he said.

In recent weeks, CPAC has exposed a series of questionable expenditures across counties during scrutiny of the 2024–25 financial year.

Among the issues raised were Sh5 million reportedly spent by Vihiga county to host a housewarming for the county assembly speaker’s residence and Sh3.6 million used on a Christmas tree in Bungoma.

More than Sh10 million in Embu was allegedly diverted from a development project to fund a boda boda event.

Such revelations have intensified the political temperature, with senators portraying themselves as defenders of taxpayers while governors accuse them of turning audit findings into campaign ammunition.

Governors maintain that constitutional oversight has been undermined where senators with declared gubernatorial ambitions sit in judgment over the very offices they intend to occupy.

Former Council of Governors chairman Martin Wambora had previously warned that audit queries were increasingly being used as campaign tools in counties where senators were eyeing the governor’s seat.

“We are concerned that senators are using audit reports as campaign tools. This is more prevalent in counties where they have gubernatorial ambitions,” he said.

The Constitution mandates the Senate to oversee county governments and protect the interests of devolved units, a role that has often brought it into conflict with governors since the advent of devolution.

However, the emerging 2027 succession politics appears to have deepened mistrust, with governors viewing oversight through a political lens and senators insisting that accountability cannot be compromised.