The Senate’s authority to summon governors has been upheld by the Supreme Court.

Rejecting the Council of Governors’ argument that county assemblies are the only organs with oversight authority over county executives, the court stated that the Senate is established to perform fundamental roles of governance in devolution.

Chief Justice Martha Koome and her team also rejected the argument that only members of the County Executive Committee or the chief officers in charge of finance can appear before the Senate or any of its committees to answer expenditure questions.

The court stated that the Senate cannot function without the authority to summon a governor and require him or her to provide answers and explanations regarding county finances and related matters.

It declared that the Senate’s oversight authority extends not only to nationally allocated funds but also to locally generated funds.

The judges ruled that county assemblies have first-tier oversight authority over devolved government revenue, whether it is allocated nationally or generated locally.

The court was ruling on an appeal filed by the Senate against the Court of Appeal’s finding that the Senate’s oversight function is limited to national revenue allocated to devolved administrations.