- Machakos civil society groups have given the County Assembly 24 hours to pass the 2026/27 budget or face mass protests.
- The groups said the delay has disrupted salaries, development projects and public service delivery across the county.
- They want a special Assembly sitting convened within 24 hours to approve the budget.
The Machakos County Civil Society Network has given the County Assembly 24 hours to pass the 2026/2027 budget estimates or risk mass protests.
In a statement read by Vice-chairman Fred Lau on Wednesday, the Machakos County Civil Society Network (MCCN), comprising over 80 Public Benefit Organisations (PBOs), Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) and Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs), expressed disappointment over the continued delay in passing the budget. It called the standoff a power struggle between the County Executive and the County Assembly, which hurt public service delivery
“As at today 29th July 2026, the budget estimates are laying in limbo in the County Assembly,” Lau said. “We call upon the honorable members of the Machakos County Assembly to expedite the completion of the Budget for year 2026/27.”
Citing the Constitution and the Public Finance Management Act (PFM Act) 2012, the MCCN reminded the Assembly that 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 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 take to its full conclusion. This is misappropriation of county resources.”
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MCCN listed several consequences already being felt by wananchi. These include delays in the payment of salaries and statutory deductions for employees of both the Assembly and the County Government, and stalled partner projects in health, agriculture, water and urban planning. The county’s contribution to the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) programme is also affected.
The group added that unsettled contractual obligations and pending bills risk triggering legal battles and unnecessary legal fees. Overall, they said, this points to a decline in service delivery to Machakos residents.
MCCN issued two key demands. First, that the Budget and Appropriations Committee expedite the passing of the 2026/27 budget estimates, with or without changes, within 24 hours. Second, that failure to do so would prompt MCCN to organise a public demonstration against the Assembly’s performance, followed by legal action under Article 22 of the Constitution.
The County Assembly is scheduled to reconvene on August 11, 2026, but MCCN is demanding a special sitting be gazetted within 24 hours to break the deadlock.
By Stephen Muthini
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