Machakos Assembly to resume sittings after nearly two-months suspension

The County Assembly of Machakos will reconvene on Monday next week after 49 days of indefinite suspension of plenary and committee sittings.

Embattled Speaker Ann Kiusya announced the lifting of the suspension through a notice addressed to Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) after chairing a meeting of the County Assembly Service Board on Thursday.

“The meeting resolved that the suspension of the plenary and committee sittings of the Assembly be lifted with immediate effect; and the suspension of Members’ official travel, both domestic and foreign be lifted,” reads part of the notice dated May 22nd and signed by Ms. Kiusya.

The latest twist in the ongoing crisis in the legislative arm of the county government comes amid a renewed push by defiant MCAs, led by the Majority leader, Nicholas Nzioka to resume committee sittings despite the previous ban by the Speaker, who is also fighting off an impeachment Motion in court.

On Thursday, Nzioka, who is also the Machakos Central Ward representative declared MCAs had resolved to resume committee sittings after realizing that the Speaker had usurped her powers to cite committee sittings as subject of suspension.

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Nzioka charged that the Speaker’s communication dated April 8th 2025 suspending the committee sittings was in contravention of Standing Order 161 on notice of meetings confers the said powers to the clerk of the county assembly.

“A notice of a meeting of a select committee should be given by the clerk of the county assembly and not the Speaker. The Speaker was therefore in contravention of the law by indefinitely suspending the assembly sittings over alleged security concerns,” said Nzioka, who is also the Machakos Central MCA.

Nzioka urged all the 59 MCAs to reconvene in the County Assembly Friday to allow members to carry on with the scheduled committee meetings some of which he noted required immediate attention.

“In doing so, we will not be in contempt of court because we will not be discussing her impeachment or conducting any business that has been flagged by the court.  I urge all chairpersons of Committees to notify the office of the clerk of the intent to convene meetings as soon as possible,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Senate has stepped in to address the ongoing crisis in the Assembly.

In a letter addressed to the Speaker dated May 20th 2025, and copied to the Acting clerk of the county assembly of Machakos and Senator Agnes Kavindu, the Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations has summoned the parties to appear before it Tuesday next week to discuss the matter.

It emerged that Senator Kavindu had sought a Statement from the Standing Committee relating to the indefinite suspension of the County Assembly of Machakos.