Kisii County Senator Richard Onyonka has accused Kenyan governors of engaging in widespread bribery, claiming that corruption extends deep into parliamentary committees.
Speaking during an interview at a local TV station on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, Onyonka stated that governors often bribe members of parliament during committee visits.
“Kenya is a house of bribes, and the governors are part of it. They are the ones who bribe our colleagues when they are visiting their committees,” he said.
Onyonka revealed that his removal from the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) was linked to his scrutiny of governors from his own party, ODM.
“Why was I kicked out of the CPAC committee? Because I was told I have been asking too many questions about ODM governors, and I am an ODM senator. My job is to oversee these guys, and they are doing some filthy stuff,” he stated.
He further criticised the state of the parliament, saying that lawmakers fail to prioritise public service, effective service delivery, or safeguarding public funds.
“Our house is a den of gamblers, street vendors, money dealers, and gold proprietors, except the only thing they never do is to fight for public service, fight for service delivery, and to fight for money not to be wasted.”
His remarks come days after governors escalated their standoff with the Senate by formally identifying four senators they accuse of harassment and intimidation during oversight sessions.
They made the move while reaffirming their boycott of the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC).
In a signed resolution submitted to the Senate Speaker, the Council of Governors (CoG) said the four legislators had been “consistently cited” in complaints over the conduct of CPAC proceedings, which county chiefs claim have been marked by political witch-hunts, extortion, and intimidation.
The Council is demanding the removal of the senators from the affected committees as a condition for restoring confidence and fairness in the oversight process.
At the same time, governors confirmed they would maintain their decision to suspend appearances before CPAC until their concerns are addressed.
The resolution, signed by 41 county bosses, was submitted alongside a request for urgent high-level talks with Senate leadership to resolve the growing dispute.
“As requested in our earlier correspondence, we request an urgent engagement with the leadership of the Senate at the earliest opportunity,” the CoG chairperson said in a letter to the Speaker.
“We reiterate our commitment to protecting and defending devolution and good governance as espoused in our Constitution.”
