NEWS ANALYSIS
By Martin Masai
After assault claims and a KSh 19 million dispute, the county speaks—but does it truly answer?
In the wake of a violent confrontation in Machakos Town on March 31, 2026, the County Government has broken its silence, albeit with egg on face.
Governor Wavinya Ndeti has issued a detailed statement addressing pending supplier payments—yet, at its core, the response leaves a glaring question unanswered: when will Movata Designs be paid, if at all?
The statement comes days after Mr. Sammy Kioko— an artist who has publicly agitated for payment of approximately KSh 19 million allegedly owed for Inspectorate uniforms—was assaulted by individuals who belong to county enforcement structures.
The incident has ignited public outrage and renewed scrutiny of how Machakos County handles its financial obligations, with evidence that goonism is part of the county’s operational tools.
Rather than directly addressing the claim by Movata Designs, the Governor’s statement takes a procedural turn. It distances the County from Kioko personally, asserting he is not a registered supplier, and emphasizes the need for formal legal authority to act on behalf of Movata Designs.
But this distinction, while legally relevant, does little to address the substance of the matter: the uniforms were supplied, and they are in use. In fact, the Governor wears it.
The County acknowledges partial delivery by Movata Designs toward the close of the 2023/2024 financial year but cites procedural constraints—namely, lack of inspection and acceptance—as the reason for non-payment. The claim is thus classified as a pending bill.
Wavinya’s debt numbers tell a story—but not the whole story. Her statement leans heavily on figures, projecting fiscal diligence:Ksh 3.8 billion in inherited pending bills Ksh 2.1 billion deemed payable Ksh 642 million already settled, Ksh 1.39 billion reportedly cleared within seven months. This is merely Wavinya’s claim.
On paper, this paints the picture of an administration aggressively tackling inherited debt. She hardly speaks of the billions she has accumulated in debt in only three years in office.Yet, the Movata Designs claim—modest in comparison—remains conspicuously unresolved.This raises a deeper issue: is the pending bills framework being applied uniformly, or selectively?
The Governor invokes the First-In, First-Out (FIFO) principle as the guiding framework for settling pending bills. But industry insiders and contractors within Machakos suggest a different reality—one where politically aligned suppliers receive preferential treatment. For instance, Hayati Contractors have carried out works on dams and other assignments and are promptly paid.
These claims of favouritism remain proven, and gain traction in the absence of transparent, publicly verifiable payment schedules complete with names,amounts and dates that Wavinya did not attach to her statement. She may never, because her office annually gobbles up billions in local and foregn trips, receptions and sophisticated largese as documented by the Controller of Budget.
If FIFO is indeed the standard, then the County must demonstrate it—not merely assert it.
Equally troubling is the context in which this financial dispute has unfolded.The Governor condemns violence in general terms, yet stops short of addressing the specific allegations that county askaris and operatives were involved in the assault of Kioko. Could it be that the Inspectorate is becoming Wavinya’s militia?
For the record, Wavinya this week posted a video telling youth how she will clobber some people she did not name. In the video, the governor initiates a chant encouraging the youth to pick up stones( Weka Mawe) and walks off bragging that the youth are her soldiers. Within hours,Kioko was groaning in pain- attacked outside her White House office and transported to Kangundo hospital- not the nearby Machakos Level 5 hospital. https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1AwygWMinH/
Her inspectorate officers are also in court for assaulting Kalama MCA Boniface Maeke outside the Machakos law courts.
For many observers, this skirting around the assault is as significant as the ambiguity surrounding payment.
It raises concerns about whether the County is willing—or able—to hold its own agents accountable.
A statement that speaks—and evades ultimately exposes where the governor’s heart stands in this matter.
While her communication is detailed, structured, and administratively sound, it is also devoid of any commitment and therefore useless- only carefully calibrated to demonstrate control while avoiding firm commitments.
For Movata Designs, and for other suppliers watching closely, the message is clear but unsettling:Verification will continue. Payment will come, whenever. But certainly not necessarily now.
Obviously, contractors must dig in.
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