Machakos County Assembly Faces Shutdown Threat as Funding Row Escalates Into Impeachment Bid
The Machakos County Assembly is on the verge of a major operational crisis after Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) warned that the institution could be forced to suspend its activities following more than three months without funding, deepening an already bitter standoff with Governor Wavinya Ndeti’s administration.
The dispute reached a boiling point during a heated Assembly sitting on Tuesday, June 30, as legislators launched impeachment proceedings against the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Finance, Economic Planning and Revenue Management, accusing the official of violating the Constitution, abusing public office, gross misconduct and incompetence.
Assembly Speaker Anne Kiusya formally announced the motion, saying the Finance executive had failed to discharge constitutional and statutory responsibilities.
“The Assembly is calling for impeachment of the member responsible for Finance, Economic Planning and Revenue Management on the following grounds: gross violation of the Constitution of Kenya or any other laws, abuse of office, gross misconduct and incompetence,” Speaker Kiusya told the House.
The Assembly claims it has not received the funds required to run its operations since April, leaving key legislative functions—including oversight, representation and service delivery—under serious threat.
The funding dispute has also reignited concerns over the county government’s financial management, with MCAs alleging that the county’s wage bill has significantly exceeded the legal ceiling set for devolved governments.
Mbiuni MCA Peter Kilonzo argued that the Finance department had failed to comply with public finance laws, citing findings by the Controller of Budget.
“We have alluded to the grounds of impeachment where the member has violated the law. For instance, the wage bill law. The Machakos wage bill has increased and is at around 60 per cent, according to the Controller of Budget,” Kilonzo said.
Under Kenya’s public finance framework, county governments are expected to maintain their personnel expenditure within prescribed limits to ensure sufficient resources remain available for development projects and essential public services.
MCAs further accused the county executive of deliberately withholding funds in an attempt to undermine the Assembly’s independence and influence its oversight role, claims that have intensified the political feud between the legislative and executive arms of the county government.
Kinanie Ward MCA Francis Kavyu warned that the prolonged funding freeze was crippling the Assembly’s constitutional mandate and preventing elected leaders from effectively serving residents.
Speaker Kiusya confirmed that the Assembly has formally sought the intervention of the Senate, urging the upper House to step in and help resolve the impasse before county operations grind to a complete halt.
The latest confrontation revives long-running governance tensions in Machakos County. The Assembly has previously experienced internal leadership disputes, with Speaker Anne Kiusya herself surviving an impeachment attempt in 2025 amid political divisions within the county government.
The unfolding crisis comes at a time when county governments across Kenya are facing heightened scrutiny over financial management and accountability.
In recent months, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has intensified investigations into alleged misuse of public funds. On Monday, investigators arrested the Nyamira County Assembly’s Deputy Director of Accounts over alleged corruption involving approximately KSh30 million.
Separately, in June, Nairobi County suspended its Chief Officer for Urban Planning after investigators recovered KSh65.3 million during a probe into suspected graft.
The developments underscore growing pressure on county governments to strengthen financial accountability even as political battles over public resources continue to intensify across the country.
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