Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has said comedian Sammy Kioko will be paid, but only after the matter goes through the county’s budget process.
The governor spoke on April 1, a day after tensions rose in Machakos Town over delayed payments to suppliers. The situation drew public attention after Kioko claimed the county owes him KSh19 million for supplying inspectorate uniforms.
But Ndeti said county records do not show Kioko as a registered supplier. According to her, the contract was awarded to a company known as Movata Designs.
“Our records indicate that Mr Sammy Kioko is not a registered supplier of the County Government of Machakos. The entity that supplied Inspectorate uniforms is Movata Designs,” she said.
She further explained that one must produce the appropriate documents to show they are authorized to make the payment on behalf of the company.
At the same time, the governor admitted there were delays in processing the payment, saying the uniforms were delivered towards the end of the 2023/2024 financial year. Because of this, the county was not able to complete inspection and approval in time, and the bill was pushed forward as a pending one.
To deal with such cases, Ndeti said her administration formed a committee to review all pending bills and confirm which ones are genuine.
According to the findings, the county inherited pending bills worth KSh3.8 billion. Out of this, KSh2.1 billion was approved as valid, while KSh1.6 billion was rejected due to missing documents or unclear claims.
She said the county has already paid over KSh642 million from the verified bills and is continuing to clear the rest in phases.
On Kioko’s case, the governor said once everything is verified under the right company, the payment will be included in a supplementary budget.
“My administration remains open, transparent, and committed to serving the people of Machakos with dignity, fairness, and integrity. We value our suppliers as key partners in development, and I assure you that no legitimate claim will go unpaid,” she said.
Ndeti also called for calm, urging residents and suppliers to avoid confrontations and instead follow legal channels to resolve disputes.
The issue has attracted attention online, with some public figures coming out in support of Kioko and calling on the county to settle the matter quickly.
