Bribery scandal rocks Machakos County Assembly during nominee vetting

Bribery allegations have rocked the Machakos County Assembly after the majority's appointment committee approved Annastacia Munyaka's nomination as CEC for Water and Sanitation.

During a session to discuss the nominee's vetting report, some MCAs revealed bribery claims, with a few admitting to receiving at least Ksh.20,000 to endorse her appointment.

MCA Brian Kisila shocked the assembly by claiming that he had received the amount from Majority Leader Nicholas Nzioka, even specifying the time of the transaction, to influence his decision.

While the majority prevailed in approving the nominee, a faction of dissatisfied MCAs is now demanding an inquiry into Munyaka’s qualifications, integrity, and the bribery allegations involving the clerk's office and the MCAs.

Mathatani Ward MCA Francis Kavyu expressed concerns about the clerk's office, questioning why the nominee's integrity was omitted from the report. He warned that corruption within the assembly and the clerk's office would ultimately burden Machakos residents, as unqualified officers are hastily approved.

In response, Majority Leader and Machakos Central MCA Nicholas Nzioka criticized Kisila, who confirmed receiving money from him, claiming he had transferred funds to Kisila over 34 times and urged him to clarify the context of the transactions.

Mua Ward MCA Francis Ngunga also demanded that the Majority Leader clarify how they allocated the marks to approve the nominee.

The Speaker of the Assembly has called for an inquest to address the concerns raised, including the nominee's integrity, educational background and the bribery allegations.