Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has rejected the county’s Sh17.8 billion budget for the 2026/27 financial year, escalating a growing confrontation with Members of the County Assembly over how public funds should be allocated.
Ndeti returned the Machakos County Appropriation Bill, 2026, to the Assembly for reconsideration, accusing MCAs of making changes worth Sh853.96 million that she says were unlawful and could undermine essential services.
The governor said the Executive had submitted a balanced budget aligned with the 2026 County Fiscal Strategy Paper, but the version approved by the Assembly on August 18 contained major reallocations.
At the centre of the dispute are cuts to several programmes that Ndeti considers critical to residents.
The Wikwatyo Fund and women and youth empowerment programmes, for example, were reduced from Sh274 million to Sh74 million. Bursary allocations were also cut by Sh30 million, while funding for several road projects already under contract was reduced.
Ndeti further accused the Assembly of increasing its own development budget by Sh130 million beyond the ceiling provided in the Fiscal Strategy Paper, arguing that the changes contravene public finance laws.
Dispute Over Pending Bills
The budget fight has also exposed a sharp disagreement over Machakos County’s pending bills.
MCAs have previously claimed that the county owes suppliers and contractors nearly Sh7 billion, arguing that settling the debt should be given greater priority in the new budget.
Ndeti disputes that figure.
She says the county’s pending bills and stock accounts payable stood at Sh4.6 billion as of June 30, 2026. According to the governor, the amount included Sh1.6 billion in unpaid salaries covering April, May and June after the Assembly failed to approve a supplementary budget.
The competing figures have become a major point of contention as both sides attempt to justify their preferred spending priorities.
MCAs Had Earlier Approved Half the Budget
The latest confrontation follows weeks of disagreement.
On August 12, the County Assembly authorised the withdrawal of approximately half of the proposed Sh17.8 billion budget, allowing the Executive and Assembly to continue paying salaries and funding essential services while negotiations over the full appropriation remained unresolved.
The temporary arrangement provided breathing room for county operations but did not resolve the underlying dispute over development spending, pending bills and the Assembly’s amendments.
Ndeti had previously called for dialogue, warning that residents were suffering because of the political and institutional impasse.
“Machakos is bigger than all of us,” she said while urging MCAs to put residents ahead of political differences.
Fear of Disrupted Services
The governor has warned that some of the Assembly’s proposed cuts could have direct consequences for residents.
She particularly raised concerns over reduced funding for garbage collection, arguing that inadequate waste management in rapidly growing areas such as Mlolongo, Athi River and Machakos could increase the risk of diseases such as cholera and typhoid.
She also defended funding for the county’s Revenue Management System, which she says helped increase Machakos’ own-source revenue from Sh1.55 billion in 2023/24 to Sh3.35 billion in 2025/26.
According to Ndeti, weakening the system could make it difficult for the county to achieve its Sh4.93 billion own-source revenue target for 2026/27.
The governor has also cautioned that cutting funds for road projects already under contract could expose the county to legal disputes and additional costs.
Under the County Governments Act, the governor has returned the Bill to the Assembly for reconsideration.
If MCAs accept her recommendations, the budget can proceed through the necessary legislative process. However, if they reject the governor’s position, the Assembly can attempt to override her veto, requiring a two-thirds majority.
The dispute therefore places Machakos at an important test of devolution, with the Executive and Assembly expected to exercise their respective constitutional roles while ensuring that residents do not bear the cost of their disagreements.
For thousands of Machakos residents, the argument over billions of shillings is ultimately about everyday services roads, bursaries, waste collection, youth programmes, healthcare and other county functions.
Until Governor Ndeti and the MCAs reach common ground, the Sh17.8 billion budget remains both a financial blueprint for the county and the centre of an increasingly bitter political standoff.
