Machakos MCAs to impeach Speaker as colleague goes missing

Machakos County Assembly Speaker, Ann Kiusya at the Assembly chamber on March 07, 2024. [Erastus Mulwa, Standard]

Anxiety has gripped the family of Muthwani MCA, Dominic Maitha, who has been reported missing for at least 36 hours.

This even as two factions of Ward representatives of the Machakos County Assembly face off in an attempt to oust Speaker Anne Kiusya from office.

The MCA, who is known for his scathing criticism against the executive arm of government led by governor Wavinya Ndeti, reportedly stopped communicating with his family and colleagues Monday night after spending his entire day in Machakos.

At the center of controversy is a sharp split among the 59 MCAs where at least 30 of them largely drawn from the majority side have signed a notice of Motion to impeach Ms Kiusya with about 22 of them refusing to support the Motion.

According to Maitha’s wife, Juliet Muthoni, the MCA left for Machakos on Monday morning where he was to join his colleagues.

“He left the house at around 7am and passed by the rural home in Kaloleni before proceeding to the County Assembly premises. However, he never returned home on that day and I am worried because all his three phones are switched off,” she said.

The MCA’s wife went on to say that it was not habitual for the Ward representative to go offline without alerting her or his colleagues.

“I talked with him throughout the day Monday until around 10.30 pm when his phones went off and he stopped communicating. As a family we are distraught and worried. We are asking the government to help in tracing him,” she said.

Maitha’s disappearance was reported on Tuesday at the Machakos police station under OB No. 49/25/3/25 at 3 pm.

The MCA’s father, John Maitha said all he wants is his son. “I do not do politics and I have no issue with anyone. I want to see my son and I am calling on the government to produce him,” the MCA’s father said, adding that official had promised to come home in the evening but that never happened.

A section of Maitha’s colleagues, led by Kinanie MCA, Francis Kavyu said they were concerned about his disappearance.

“His family and all his friends have been unable to reach him and we appeal to the members of the public and the security agencies to help in establishing where he is,” said Kavyu.

The MCA alleged the disappearance of their colleague was linked to the planned ouster of the county assembly Speaker, and which the minority side have refused to support.

The Notice of Motion to eject Speaker Ann Kiusya was drafted and delivered to the clerk of the county assembly last week by the leader of Majority, Nicholas Nzioka.

In the Notice of Motion document seen by The Standard, Nzioka alleges that the speaker had engaged in gross violation of the constitution, gross misconduct and incompetence.

In particular, the MCAs have taken issue in the manner in which Ms Kiusya handled the plenary sitting on March 12th 2025 in which the House discussed a report on the recruitment of the fourth and fifth members of the County Assembly Public Service Board.

According to Nzioka, the Speaker misled the House by adopting the report without a quorum.

“Based on parliamentary practice and tradition, committees of the Board must first file their reports with the board which then if and when necessary submits them to the assembly. Adopting a report without a quorum of the Board constitutes pure incompetence and a gross violation of the County Assembly Services Act,” said Nzioka, who is also the MCA for Machakos Central.

The MCAs have also accused the Speaker of irregular hiring of one of the staff members of the county assembly.