By Anchor Writer

The High Court has halted impeachment proceedings against Machakos County Assembly Speaker Anne Kiusya.

Lady Justice Rhoda Ruto, sitting in Machakos, issued the order following an urgent application by Kiusya, who argued she was unlikely to receive a fair hearing in a deeply conflicted assembly.

The judge directed that Kiusya, Assembly Clerk Dennis Mutui, Deputy Speaker Mr. StephenMwanthi and Majority Leader Nicholas Nzioka appear before her on April 1, 2025, for further directions.

Kiusya challenged the motion’s legality, claiming it violated constitutional procedures for removing a speaker.

Justice Ruto granted an injunction against the County Assembly, the Clerk, the Deputy Speaker, and Nzioka, ordering them to file their  responses to Mrs. Kiusya’s pleadings by March 31, 2025. Kiusya was instructed to serve them with suit documents.

The injunction comes as MCAs allied with Governor Wavinya Ndeti, who are leading the push for Kiusya’s removal, strategized at a Mombasa resort.

Sources tell The Anchor that the group – through emissaries who work for Governor Wavinya, including the County Secretary Dr.Muya Ndambuki, made incessant calls to Kiusya’s husband, lawyer Wambua Kilonzo, seeking a negotiated settlement.

Some MCAs privately admit the impeachment threat is part of a scheme to solicit bribes, a tactic they allegedly used successfully last year. “They’re repeating the same extortion playbook,” said an MCA from Camp 22, a faction opposed to the ouster.

The impeachment motion, filed by Nzioka and backed by 33 MCAs, has already seen two signatories withdraw their support.

Kiusya’s troubles with Governor Wavinya date back to last year when the governor rebuked her for allowing critical debates in the assembly.

Tensions escalated further due to financial constraints caused by delays in county remittances. Finance Minister Onesmus Kuyu was forced to appear before the Assembly for questioning two weeks ago after a prolonged effort to dodge appearence.

The final straw was last week’s failed bid to install Wavinya’s preferred candidate, Juda Wewa, as the fourth member of the County Assembly Service Board.

Wavinya’s push to remove Kiusya is widely seen as an attempt to weaken the county assembly and install a more compliant leadership.

A weakened assembly would allow the executive to operate with minimal scrutiny, undermining the system of checks and balances that ensures accountability in county governance. Machakos county- more than ever- requires a tough oversight framework given the ruaway thievery prevailing unde Wavinya’s administration.

It is believed that all huge contracts are executed by the administration’s top leadership where payments are as hefty as they are swift – often for jobs shoddily executed.

As the legislative arm of the county government, the assembly plays a crucial role in budget approvals, oversight, and policy direction. Efforts to undermine its independence not only threaten good governance but also erode public confidence in the institution’s ability to represent the interests of Machakos residents.