Wavinya calls for dialogue with MCAs over budget stalemate

Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti speaks during a press conference at her Machakos town office. She called on dialogue between the County Assembly and the Executive to end the ongoing stalemate that has hampered service delivery. [John Muia]

Governor Wavinya Ndeti has declared that she is now ready to engage Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) to unlock the current stalemate over the county’s 2026/27 budget, whose delay in passage has paralysed the delivery of essential services across the county.

Addressing the media on Wednesday, a day after the county assembly authorized 50 percent of the county budget amid a stand-off over allocations, Wavinya warned the delay in budget processing has hurt innocent residents who expect elected leaders to discharge delegated authority with honesty and transparency.

“What I want to tell the MCAs is that it is time to stand up and be counted. As your leader, I have decided I will convene a dialogue so that we address this matter because Machakos is bigger than all of us. I will not grow tired of engaging you. It is bad for Machakos residents to suffer because of you,” said Wavinya.

The governor took issue with the budget and house business committees, accusing them of being used by external political forces to frustrate her government’s agenda to empower the people of Machakos.

“I have always engaged the county assembly leadership on various matters and agreed upon issues. All I need them to do is to be sincere and truthful. The biggest problem lies with the budget committee members and the UDA-allied MCAs. The budget we forwarded to the assembly reflected the wishes of the citizens, not my wishes or the wishes of my deputy,” Wavinya said.

The governor dismissed as misleading claims by a section of MCAs during yesterday’s assembly proceedings that various departments such as Water were allocated zero budget in the current estimates. She also dismissed claims that pending bills as of June 2026 amounted to sh 7.5 billion.

“The total amount of pending bills payable as at June 30th 2026 was sh 4.6 billion; this included sh 1.6 billion in staff salaries for April, May and June 2026 arising from the failure to approve the supplementary budget by the county assembly."

She went on, " The budgeted amount for pending bills for Financial Year 2026/27 is sh 858 million and not sh 270 million as stated in the erroneous interpretation of the submitted Appropriation Bill. The outstanding pending Bills will be settled through a first charge arrangement.”

The governor noted that some of the amendments to her budget proposals by the county assembly committee on budget infringed on existing legal and contractual obligations of the executive, alleging sabotage on the part of MCAs.

“To weaponise the budget process against the very citizens who elected you is not only an abdication of legislative duty but also a reckless betrayal of public trust. You are punishing the people of Machakos unfairly. I wonder how your conscience lets you sleep in peace when you know the kind of suffering you are deliberately inflicting on the people,” she said.