The governance crisis in Nyamira County deepened this week following renewed questions over the legality of proceedings held outside the official county assembly chambers.
This comes after nearly eight months of a leadership impasse that has led to the emergence of parallel sittings by two rival factions of the County Assembly.One group has continued to meet in the designated assembly chambers, while another faction, in defiance, has been convening at an alternative location referred to as the “Mashinani Assembly.” The standoff has raised concerns over legitimacy, governance, and the delivery of essential services in the county.
The Senate’s Devolution Committee recently tabled a report after probing the leadership and operational challenges facing the county. However, Nyamira Senator Okong’o Mogeni, speaking during Thursday’s Senate plenary sitting, expressed dissatisfaction with the report, arguing that it failed to address the key legal questions surrounding the Mashinani sittings.”The legality of the business conducted, including the approval of a supplementary budget by the Mashinani Assembly, remains questionable,” said Senator Mogeni.
In response to the concerns raised, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi referred the matter to the Senate Justice and Legal Affairs Committee. The committee has been directed to investigate the legal implications of the parallel sittings and submit a conclusive report within 21 days.
The prolonged power struggle has significantly affected service delivery in Nyamira, with residents and stakeholders raising concerns about stalled development projects, lack of oversight, and weakened accountability mechanisms.
