By Queen Muandiki
In Machakos County, the bus park has become the epicenter of chaos and intrigue.
What should be a hub of transport is now a battlefield where power, corruption, and ego collide. At the heart of this circus lies a fierce contest between the Ministry of Roads and the infamous Mamoa Sacco.
The drama began when Roads Minister Rita Ndunge ordered the removal of marshals deployed by Mamoa Sacco. These marshals had been acting as unofficial enforcers, overseeing operations that should legally fall under the county’s Inspectorate Department.
Mamoa’s marshals weren’t popular. Tuk-tuk and maruti operators accused them of meddling with their operations, saying they turned the bus park into Mamoa’s personal playground.
During a heated Tuesday meeting with the minister, these operators demanded their removal. Interestingly, Mamoa Sacco—invited to the meeting—didn’t bother to show up.
The Sacco defended itself, claiming it deployed marshals only because the Inspectorate Department had failed to maintain order. It was a blame game, with both sides pointing fingers while the chaos continued.
Governor Wavinya Ndeti intervened on Wednesday, hosting a high-stakes meeting at her Kinanie home. The meeting was attended by top county officials, Mamoa Sacco representatives, maruti operators, and members of the Inspectorate Department.
The outcome? Mamoa Sacco lost its authority to manage stages or deploy marshals. A newly formed committee, involving all stakeholders, will now handle stage allocations. The Inspectorate Department will reclaim its role in managing operations at the bus park and on the roads.
Even the bus park toilet wasn’t spared controversy. It will now be managed by the Ministry of Youth or PLWDS. A small victory, perhaps, but a reminder that in Machakos, nothing is too trivial for political intrigue.
As if this wasn’t enough, a leaked phone call involving Minister Ndunge added fuel to the fire. In the recording, Ndunge admitted to receiving a bribe from Prestige Sacco while threatening Sacco officials opposing her.
The explosive call exposed deep-rooted corruption within the county government and cast doubt on the integrity of the very officials tasked with resolving the bus park crisis.
Mamoa Sacco’s attempts to stage a county-wide strike fizzled out, as other matatu Saccos refused to back them. This failure marked yet another blow to Mamoa’s crumbling influence.
The Machakos Bus Park saga highlights a troubling reality: even the smallest issues, like marshals and toilets, can spiral into full-blown crises when corruption and incompetence reign. For now, calm has been restored, but in Machakos, peace is often just a prelude to the next storm.
