By Andrew Mbuva.
Workers in Machakos County have threatened to escalate their protests by marching to the homes of Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) if they fail to approve the 2026/2027 financial year budget, accusing them of holding county operations hostage through prolonged political wrangles.
The workers, who staged demonstrations and camped outside the Machakos County Assembly on Monday, said the continued delay in passing the budget was hurting thousands of county employees and ordinary residents who depend on uninterrupted public services.
Speaking during the protests, county worker Elizabeth Mutiso urged MCAs to set aside their personal and political differences and prioritize the welfare of Machakos residents by approving the budget without further delay.
Mutiso noted that members of the public had already participated in budget public participation forums held in May, where they submitted their proposals. She argued that the Assembly should respect the views of residents instead of pushing individual interests.
Chairperson of the Machakos Clinical Officers Association, Bonface Mitambo, said the workers would continue camping outside the County Assembly until their concerns were addressed.
Although the County Assembly is on recess until August 11, Mitambo called on the Speaker to convene a special sitting to deliberate and approve the budget, saying the county could not afford further delays.
Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Machakos branch official Hesbon Mwakavi dismissed claims that the demonstrations involved only health workers, stating that the protests brought together more than 7,000 county employees from various departments.
Responding to the concerns, Budget Committee Chairperson Paul Wambua said the preparation and approval of the county budget was a collective responsibility and not the decision of an individual. He maintained that the committee wanted a budget that prioritizes projects with tangible benefits to Machakos residents and whose expenditure can be clearly justified and accounted for.
Majority Leader Nicholas Nzioka, however, accused members of the opposition in the Budget Committee of frustrating the process by pushing for what he described as unnecessary amendments to the budget.
Deputy Speaker Stephen Mwanthi called on the Budget Committee to table the budget before the Assembly, arguing that members should then debate it openly, with those in support voting in its favour while those opposed vote against it.
Wambua, however, insisted that the county must adopt a budget that upholds accountability and prudent use of public resources.
The delayed budget is valued at Sh16 billion, and its approval is considered critical to sustaining county operations and funding development projects during the 2026/2027 financial year.
