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• Sat Jun 14 2025

Nandi senator Samson Cherargei was briefly grilled by his colleagues in a Senate Public Accounts Committee sitting after he seemed to advance an agenda about Farouk Kibet

Farouk is known to be President William Ruto's powerful aide, a discussion Cherargei's colleagues dismissed, arguing the aide's position is not recognised by the constitution

The senators, led by Nairobi's Edwin Sifuna, referred to CS Kipchumba Murkomen's averments against Cherargei to pin him down

Senators Edwin Sifuna and Samson Cherargei engaged in a heated exchange during a session of the Senate Public Accounts Committee, where Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka was appearing on Friday, June 13.

Nandi senator Samson Cherargei with Homa Bay's Moses Kajwang during the Senate Public Accounts Committee sitting. Photo: Moses Kajwang.

Source: Facebook

Cherargei attempted to pressure Sifuna into acknowledging Farouk Kibet as President William Ruto?s personal assistant.

This was after Sifuna seemed to cast improper motives against Farouk, accusing him of being one of the reasons Lusaka has not been honouring the summons of the committee.

Why Sifuna clashed with Cherargei

Sifuna noted that the Bungoma county governor has skipped the Public Accounts Committee sittings for mundane reasons, among them being that Farouk is visiting his county.

Weighing in, Cherargei seemed to fault Sifuna for not recognising the person of Farouk and the weight he carries.

He sought to remind his colleague that Farouk was Ruto's personal assistant, suggesting he wielded power and hence reserved the right to recognition.

"Senator Sifuna, you should know that Farouk Kibet is not an ordinary Kenyan; he is the president's PA. So I know you don't know how State House looks like, but I'm just informing you so that you are conversant," Cherargei remarked.

Sifuna, however, dismissed Cherargei?s insistence, arguing that Farouk does not hold a constitutional office and therefore does not warrant official recognition.

He also referenced Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen?s past remarks about Cherargei?s legal understanding to counter the Nandi senator?s claims.

Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna says Farouk Kibet doesn't hold a position recognisable by the constitution, despite the aggrandisement around him. Photo: Edwin Sifuna.

Source: Twitter

Why Sifuna doesn't recognise Farouk Kibet

Sifuna said the constitution does not recognise the portfolio held by Farouk, if there is any, castigating Cherargei for ignorantly defending the president's aide without any backing in the law.

The Nairobi senator indirectly invoked the arguments made by Murkomen against Cherargei, in which the Nandi senator was dressed down for being incompetent in discussions of law.

I protected him because Murkomen made certain accusations against his ability to grasp the law. He knows that as an elected state official, I only recognise people who hold constitutional offices, not their PAs. The office of the PA of the president does not exist anywhere in the law of Kenya. So that is somebody who is a non-entity to me," Sifuna retorted.

Homa Bay's Moses Kakwang, who chairs the committee, butted in in defence of Sifuna, cautioning Cherargei against aimlessly mentioning figures in settings they do not belong to.

Kajwang reminded the Nandi senator of Speaker Amason Kingi's similar caution, saying his behaviour in public forums could vindicate Murkomen in the accusations he made against him.

"Senator Cherargei, just yesterday, the speaker cautioned you about adverse mention of persons who are not within the institution. You might end up confirming what Murkomen said," remarked Kajwang.

How Murkomen disparaged Cherargei

The Interior CS and the Nandi senator faced off during a Senate preliminary session in which the CS appeared to shed light on the killing of blogger Albert Ojwang while in police custody.

Cherargei, during his moment to question Murkomen, accused the CS of being incompetent, and watching over extrajudicial killings becoming rampant.

The senator pressured the CS to resign for having failed in his mandate.

With his right of reply, Murkomen exploded at the senator, whom he accused of lacking substance in his criticism.

The CS, who previously led the ministries of Roads and Sports, claimed that Cherargei?s criticism had nothing to do with his actual performance but was instead part of a recurring pattern of malice and smear campaigns.

Murkomen argued that Cherargei was not morally right to question his performance in government, revealing that the Nandi senator was a poor law student, as he taught him at Moi University, an assertion Cherargei strongly disapproved of, saying he never knew about Murkomen in his campus days.

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Source: TUKO.co.ke