The leadership of the Machakos County Assembly has once again become a flashpoint in the ongoing rivalry between Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Dr Alfred Mutua, the Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection. At the heart of the dispute is the looming impeachment of the assembly’s speaker, Ann Kiusya. Well-placed sources within Machakos County’s political circles reveal that Governor Wavinya Ndeti has discreetly orchestrated a plan to utilise the Wiper party’s majority in the assembly to initiate the speaker’s removal.
However, Dr Mutua, leader of the Maendeleo Chap Chap party, has skilfully mobilised Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) aligned with his party to oppose the impeachment, labelling it a politically motivated manoeuvre. According to MCAs loyal to Mutua, tensions arose after a falling-out between Wavinya and the speaker, prompting the governor to plot her ousting. They claim Wavinya was blindsided when she discovered Mutua had pledged to defend Kiusya.
Sources suggest that Kalonzo initially supported the speaker’s removal behind closed doors but later strategically reversed his stance following successful lobbying efforts that secured the votes needed to keep Kiusya in post. The situation has now escalated into a broader struggle for political supremacy, pitting Kalonzo against Mutua and Mutua against Wavinya.
Reports indicate that Mutua has been actively lobbying, including hosting a meeting of his allied MCAs at the Panari Hotel. Currently, 23 MCAs from the Maendeleo Chap Chap party have announced their intention to table an impeachment motion against Governor Ndeti. Dismissing the threat, Mutua laughed off the idea, asserting that the governor’s camp lacks the numbers required to successfully impeach Kiusya.
In a dramatic twist, an MCA aligned with Mutua has now threatened to pursue an impeachment motion against Wavinya herself. This group accuses the governor of prioritising her political ambitions over party unity, hinting that disciplinary action may be necessary.
Last week, Wavinya reportedly sought Kalonzo’s support to rally Wiper-affiliated MCAs and shield her from a fate akin to that of former Governor Kawira Mwangaza, who faced impeachment. Rumours suggest that Kalonzo, having previously distanced himself from Wavinya, has now agreed to intervene on her behalf.
Following the contentious 2022 elections, Wavinya publicly aligned herself with President William Ruto, defying Kalonzo’s calls for protests across Machakos County. However, she has since shifted her stance and is now turning to Kalonzo to protect her interests amid this escalating political showdown.
