Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka with Machakos Speaker Ann Kiusya. Photo By Andrew Mbuva. 
By Andrew Mbuva
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has thrown his full weight behind an attempt by Machakos County Assembly members to impeach Speaker Ann Kiusya, dramatically undercutting her bid to mend fences after a bruising showdown in the Senate last week.
Addressing crowds at Machakos’ Mulu Mutisya grounds—flanked by opposition leaders—Kalonzo blasted Kiusya’s April 8 decision to halt all plenary and committee sessions, dismissing it as “a big joke.”
He also castigated her for attending a recent State House meeting convened by President William Ruto, branding the move a stark act of disloyalty to the Wiper Party.
“Na ile mchezo iko hapa Machakos—eti County Assembly Speaker anafunga vile anataka! Nimeona huyo Speaker ameenda kwa Ruto, basi aende akiendanga. Hatutaki mchezo tena; you’re either with us or against us,” Kalonzo declared in Swahili, triggering cheers from the largely Wiper-leaning crowd.
A bloc of Wiper MCAs, led by Majority Leader Nicholas Nzioka, has been agitating for Kiusya’s ouster, accusing her of shuttering the Assembly, derailing service delivery, and presiding over a nepotism scheme that allegedly secured her daughter double pay.
They argue the suspension violated Article 1 of the Constitution, which vests sovereign power in the people through their elected representatives.
Tensions boiled over on the House floor earlier this month when rival factions of MCAs—one backing the impeachment bid, the other opposing it—came to blows.
The chaos prompted the Senate Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations to intervene.
Last week the committee ruled Kiusya’s shutdown illegal, noting Standing Order 25 requires a House resolution to alter the calendar, and directed her to convene a special sitting within seven days to restart business.
The shutdown has stalled critical legislation, including the 2024/25 supplementary budget, 2025/26 budget estimates, and the county valuation roll—all of which must be approved by June 6.
Kalonzo’s endorsement now leaves Kiusya with scant political cover; even her recent attempts at reconciliation before the Senate appear unlikely to save her from an impeachment vote.
His remarks also cast a shadow over Kitui Speaker Kennedy Kinengo, who likewise attended President Ruto’s State House forum and may face similar scrutiny from Wiper loyalists.
With the Assembly under pressure to resume sittings and key fiscal deadlines looming, Machakos now braces for a decisive confrontation that could reshape its political landscape—and test party loyalty across Ukambani.
