By MUTUA KANYANGE
The simmering political war between Kitui Governor Julius Malombe and Members of the County Assembly is now a full-blown tussle threatening to get nasty and derail county business.
Barely a fortnight after the assembly rejected both the KSh14.3 billion Supplementary Budget II for 2025/2026 fiscal year and KSh13.78 billion 2026/27 financial budget estimates, Dr Malombe maintained he would not back down and questioned why the Speaker Kevin Kinengo was allegedly advancing witch-hunt against his leadership.
Malombe accused the assembly of being disgraceful and dishonest in its attempt to paralyse the county and derail service delivery to people at the tail end of his tenure in office.
The governor accused the speaker and a section of his allied MCAs of undermining his government after he re-channeled money for construction of ward offices to build and complete Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) classrooms in various wards.
But MCAs have blatantly rejected the move by the Executive to withdraw or divert money for building their ward offices from budget estimates.
On the matter Speaker Kinengo ruled: "To the Executive, it is more important to do work of national government but when it comes to the county assembly, it is not a priority. It is inconsistent and unfair for the same executive to oppose the construction of county assembly ward offices. They are all meant to support our people."
He went on to state that both Makueni and Machakos county assemblies have established ward offices for MCAs unlike Kitui county.
Speaking at Lundi market and Yumbu health dispensary in Mui ward, Mwingi East Sub County during commissioning of KSh17 million Kaki-Kilali sumpwell water supply project and maternity wing respectively on May 15, 2026, the governor said the resolution by the assembly was unacceptable and would result in political and service delivery fallout.
Malombe who was accompanied by his deputy Augustine Kanani, said his administration would not let the Speaker and a section of allied MCAs to cause destruction and ruin his leadership by playing partisan politics within and outside the assembly chambers for financial and egocentric interests.
“Our stand as county government is that we won’t be shaken, intimidated or coerced by forces within or outside the assembly to lose focus and divert our attention in changing the livelihoods of residents between now and the 2027 General Elections. ‘The Kitui Promise’ in the 16-agenda development map shall be accomplished. No ifs, no buts,” Malombe said.
County ministers Peter Kilonzo (Finance), Mbaya Kimwele (Agriculture) John Mwendandu (Environment) and Reuben Itiko (Roads) said it was laughable for the assembly with majority of youthful MCAs including the speaker to try to gag the Executive from political involvement.
Kilonzo who was backed by chief officers, Stephen Salee (Decentralisation), Aggrey Kamba (Drugs), Lynn Kitwan (Public Health) and John Makau (Finance) told the assembly to shut up, maintaining the county executive committee members would not shy away from playing "constructive politics" to champion for Malombe’s achievements since 2022 and rallying the residents behind his leadership in accelerating development projects and improve public service delivery.
“We are in politics to stay. Let them stop vomiting their dirt in public. We won’t buy their threats and demands,” Kilonzo said.
This comes after the assembly condemned the involvement of some county officers in active politics, warning that such conduct was unlawful and contrary to the principles of public service neutrality.
Reacting to the Speaker's communication during a plenary sitting, the MCAs questioned why some officers were allegedly engaging in early campaigns, terming the conduct a breach of law and public trust. They demanded that any such officers immediately desist or face exposure on the floor of the House.
Speaker Kinengo cited key legal provisions governing the conduct of public officers, including Article 75(1) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, which provides that public officers shall behave in a manner that avoids conflict between personal interests and public duties, and shall not engage in activities that compromise political neutrality.
Section 23 of the Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012, prohibits State and public officers from engaging in political activities that may compromise their impartiality or the performance of their official duties.
The county assembly recommended that the Committee on Labour and Social Service to investigate the matter and oversight the County Public Service Board and report to the House within two months, all sectoral committees to investigate the conduct of county executive committee members and oversight all county executive departments and report to the House on any instances of partisan political conduct inconsistent with the constitutional and statutory requirements within two months.
The Speaker emphasised that public office must remain politically neutral, and warned against any conduct that undermines professionalism and service delivery.
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