- The Machakos County Civil Society Network has given the County Assembly 24 hours to convene and pass the 2026/2027 budget.
- The network warns it will stage what it calls the “mother of all demonstrations” if the Assembly fails to act.
- Civil society groups say the budget delay is disrupting service delivery, development projects and payment of salaries across the county.
The Machakos County Civil Society Network (MCCN) has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the County Assembly of Machakos to gazette a sitting and pass the 2026/2027 budget estimates, failure to which it will mobilise what it termed “the mother of all demonstrations” against the Assembly.
In a statement read by Vice-chairman Fred Lau on Tuesday, the network, comprising more than 80 Public Benefit Organisations (PBOs), Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) and Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs), expressed disappointment over the continued delay in passing the budget, terming it a “Kupimana Nguvu” tussle between the County Executive and the County Assembly at the expense of service delivery.
“As at today, July 29, 2026, the budget estimates are lying in limbo in the County Assembly,” Lau said. “We call upon the Honourable Members of the Machakos County Assembly to expedite the completion of the budget for the 2026/2027 financial year.”
Citing the Constitution and the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act, the MCCN reminded the Assembly that under Section 131(1) of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012, the budget should have been approved by June 30 each year.
The group also raised concern that despite public participation conducted in mid-June 2026, the process has stalled.
“Why should the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee and his members hold the people of Machakos hostage by delaying the budget estimates?” Lau posed.
“Why conduct public participation for a budget-making process that you know very well you are not committed to taking to its full conclusion? This is misappropriation of county resources.”
The network further questioned the frequent postponement of Assembly sittings, asking: “Who is holding the County Assembly at ransom? Is the Assembly lacking direction and proper guidance on its obligations under delegated power?”
Delays blamed for stalled services
MCCN listed several consequences already being felt by residents, including delays in the payment of salaries and statutory deductions for employees of both the County Assembly and the County Government.
The network also cited stalled partner-funded projects in health, agriculture, water and urban planning, including the county’s contribution to the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) Programme.
It warned that unsettled contractual obligations and pending bills could trigger legal disputes and unnecessary legal costs.
“In a nutshell, there will be an overall decline in service delivery to the citizens of Machakos County,” the civil society leaders observed.
The network issued two key demands:
“That the Budget and Appropriation Committee expedite to pass the Budget Estimates 2026/27, with or without changes, within the next 24 hours.”
“Failure to which MCCN will organize a public demonstration to express its dissatisfaction with the performance of the County Assembly and thereafter take the appropriate legal actions as provided under Article 22 of the Constitution.”
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The County Assembly is scheduled to reconvene on August 11, 2026, but MCCN is demanding that a special sitting be gazetted within 24 hours to break the deadlock.
By Stephen Muthini
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