What kind of leadership is this?
Wavinya Ndeti storming the Machakos County Assembly, surrounded by her handlers, and getting involved in a confrontation with the Sergeant-at-Arms is the kind of scene that should worry every resident of Machakos.
A governor is expected to defend the interests of the people, but there is a line between standing firm and abusing power.
The confrontation reportedly happened after county officers failed to have budget documents stamped at the Assembly. Ndeti had rejected the Sh17.8 billion Appropriation Bill and sent a memorandum back to the Assembly.
She accused Members of the County Assembly of cutting nearly Sh854 million from important services.
Those are serious concerns, and the governor has every right to challenge decisions that she believes will hurt service delivery.
But disagreement over a budget cannot become an excuse for chaos inside the House.
The County Assembly is an institution governed by rules and procedures. The Sergeant-at-Arms is there to maintain order and protect the dignity of the chamber. Any physical confrontation involving such an officer is deeply troubling, especially when it involves people accompanying the governor.
This is where Wavinya Ndeti’s leadership comes under serious scrutiny. What message does it send when a governor walks into the Assembly and her entourage is accused of shoving or harassing an officer carrying out his official duties?
Is this how public institutions are supposed to operate?
Power should come with restraint. A governor has influence, security, officials and the authority of an elected office. That power should make it easier to resolve disputes through dialogue and the law, not harder.
The budget standoff in Machakos is not a small matter. Delayed salaries, stalled projects and disputes over money directly affect ordinary residents. Every shilling in the county budget should be subjected to proper debate. If MCAs made cuts that the governor considers harmful, she should present the figures, explain the consequences and challenge the decision through the proper channels.
There was no need for the Assembly corridors to look like a battlefield.The Speaker and MCAs may have their own side of the dispute, and they should also be held accountable for their decisions. But institutions cannot function when political disagreements descend into physical confrontation.Wavinya Ndeti was elected to lead Machakos, not to dominate its institutions.
The Assembly is not her private backyard, and public officers are not people to be pushed around whenever a political disagreement becomes heated.Being powerful is not the same as being a strong leader. A strong leader knows when to step back, respect institutions and allow the law to take its course.If the governor believes Machakos residents are being denied essential services through budget cuts, she should fight that battle with evidence, persuasion and the law.
If the Assembly believes its budget decisions are justified, it should defend them through the same channels.
But when power starts looking like intimidation, everyone should be concerned.
