By Janet Nyanchoka
The crisis-ridden County Assembly of Nyamira featured prominently during Senate proceedings on Wednesday, as Senators expressed dismay over ineffective service delivery arising from internal squabbles.
During the afternoon session, the Senate Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations tabled a progress report following its investigation into the prolonged operational and leadership crisis in the County.
At the center is a struggle for power, which has divided Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) into at least two factions. While the executive arm, led by Governor Amos Nyaribo, has remained stable, the stalemate at the Assembly has adversely affected operations, including legislation.
The report, prompted by a statement from Nyamira Senator Okong’o Mogeni on April 1, 2025, outlines the turmoil that has split the assembly into two rival factions. Each faction claims legitimacy and operates from separate locations with parallel Speakers, Clerks, and Assembly Service Boards.
According to the Committee chaired by Sen. Sheikh Mohamed Abass, the leadership wrangles have resulted in legislative paralysis, legal uncertainty, and a breakdown of governance, threatening service delivery and public confidence in the Assembly’s operations.
At the heart of the crisis are two figures—Enock Okero and Thaddeus Nyabaro—each asserting rightful claim to the office of Speaker. Okero was impeached but has defied the decision, claiming it was illegal, while Nyabaro, the MCA for Ekerenyo Ward, insists he was validly elected to take over the Speakership.
Additionally, two officials, Duke Onyari and Sylvanus Ndemo Nyamora, are embroiled in a dispute over the Clerk’s position. Both factions have conducted parallel sittings, passed budgets, and communicated independently with state institutions.
The Committee revealed that the disputes have spawned at least five ongoing court cases across different jurisdictions, including the Nyamira High Court and the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Kisii, further complicating the leadership crisis.
The Controller of Budget confirmed that by March 31, 2025, Ksh 294.49 million had been disbursed to the County Assembly out of the approved Ksh 797.76 million budget. However, financial requisitions have been marred by conflicting claims from both factions, leading to confusion in processing payments, delayed salaries, and halted essential services.
One side accuses Governor Nyaribo of backing a splinter group dubbed “Bunge Mashinani” to undermine oversight and shield his administration from scrutiny. The faction led by Nyabaro argues that statutory documents and executive appointments have been irregularly approved by the rival camp operating outside gazetted premises.
Conversely, Okero’s faction maintains that their actions have been sanctioned by court orders and accuses their opponents of contempt, forgery, and administrative sabotage.
In its interim recommendations, the Committee has advised that all sittings of the Nyamira County Assembly return to the officially gazetted premises at the Nyamira Assembly Building, as per Gazette Notice No. 7653 of 2017. The Committee also recommended that the County Assembly resume normal operations pending final court determinations, in accordance with the Constitution, County Governments Act, and its own Standing Orders.
The Committee noted significant ambiguities in alternative sitting notices issued under Gazette Notice No. 14229 of 2024, which failed to comply with legal requirements under Section 7B(2) of the County Governments Act.
The Committee plans to visit the County on May 23rd, to gather further information, reconcile the factions, and prepare a conclusive report. It emphasized the need for restoring institutional order and safeguarding the rule of law.
The stalemate has threatened both the welfare of county employees and citizens dependent on county services.