Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has defended the need for public participation as a means of ensuring the government implements projects proposed by the people.

Ndeti who is away on official duty missed the public participation forums for the Machakos County Annual Development Plan for Financial Year 2025/2026 held in Masinga, Yatta and Mwala Sub-counties.

Speaking at Kathiani yesterday during public participation exercise, Ndeti said it was important for the government to get development priorities from the people rather than implementing its own ideas.

She thanked the people for turning up to present their proposals to the Finance and Economic Planning team led by CECM Onesmus Kuyu and Chief Officer Tobias Mutua.

The county was ranked second among 47 counties in public participation in a recent poll.

Critics have faulted Ndeti’s administration for increased involvement of the people through public participation.

Kuyu said Ndeti had implemented 568 projects in her first year in office and 515 projects in the last financial year.

He said with increased revenue collection, it was possible to fund more development projects.
Kuyu at the same time pointed out that county revenue collection had increased from about Sh1 billion when the governor took office in September 2022 to Sh1.75 billion in the last financial year and was now targeting to hit Sh3 billion this financial year.

Last month, a public participation forum organised by the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) in Machakos witnessed a low turnout with only two participants turning up by late evening.