Machakos Deserves Better Than Hesitation and Half Measures.

The recent State of the County Address by Wavinya Ndeti should have been a defining moment for Machakos. It should have been a confident account of progress, a bold confrontation of challenges, and a clear roadmap for the future. Instead, it left many residents unsettled and deeply disappointed.

                        Abundance without opportunity. Machakos farmers wait as ripe mangoes go unsold.

A State of the County Address is not a routine ceremony. It is a constitutional obligation and a sacred opportunity to speak directly to the people with clarity, command and conviction. Preparation is not optional. Delivery is not cosmetic. When a governor appears ill-prepared and struggles through such an important address, it sends an unfortunate message about seriousness and grasp of issues. Leadership demands the ability to communicate vision with authority. Without that, even good policies lose credibility.

Beyond the presentation, the substance of the speech failed to confront the most pressing realities facing Machakos residents.

Agriculture remains the backbone of the county’s economy. More than 80 percent of households rely on it either directly or indirectly. Yet mango farmers in Mwala and Yatta are currently trapped in a cycle of exploitation. Brokers descend during harvest seasons and dictate prices that barely cover production costs. Citrus farmers are facing the same harsh reality. When there is a glut, produce rots or is sold for a pittance. When supply falls, the farmer has nothing left to benefit from better prices.

This crisis demanded urgent, practical solutions. Aggregation centres in Mwala and Yatta would allow produce to be collected systematically. Cold storage facilities would cushion farmers against seasonal oversupply. With proper storage, mangoes and citrus could be sold during off-peak periods when prices stabilize. Such stability would attract investors to establish processing plants and packaging facilities in rural areas. That is how jobs are created. That is how rural economies are stimulated. That is how living standards rise.

Without value addition, Machakos will continue exporting raw produce while importing finished goods at higher prices. The slogan of putting money in people’s pockets cannot survive if farmers remain at the mercy of middlemen.

The county is also blessed geographically. It is traversed by the Athi River and the Tana River. Several dams remain silted and underutilized. Irrigation expansion should be a top priority in a semi-arid county that has the potential to transform dry land into productive farmland. Desilting dams and expanding irrigation schemes would secure food production and reduce vulnerability to erratic rainfall. Yet this transformative opportunity received little meaningful attention.

Healthcare presents an even more troubling picture. In many facilities across the county, essential drugs are missing. Basic supplies such as cotton wool are unavailable. Equipment like X-ray machines is either absent or non-functional. Medical personnel are demoralized by poor working conditions, delayed promotions and unsatisfactory insurance cover. Audit concerns regarding statutory remittances to institutions such as the National Social Security Fund and the Social Health Authority only deepen anxiety about financial discipline. A serious address should have confronted these issues head-on with clear timelines and commitments.

Education, particularly Early Childhood Development, is in distress. Teacher shortages, crumbling infrastructure and poor coordination undermine the foundation of learning. If early education collapses, the long-term consequences are severe. No county that neglects its youngest learners can claim to be investing in the future.

Infrastructure and public spaces tell their own story. Roads in many parts of the county are riddled with potholes. Bridges are broken. Public assets that once symbolized pride are deteriorating. Facilities such as Machakos People’s Park and Kenyatta Stadium have the potential to nurture talent, promote recreation and generate own source revenue. When neglected, they become symbols of missed opportunity.

If Machakos is serious about uplifting its people, then it must also become deliberate about attracting investors, especially into high-potential zones such as Mavoko Sub County. The executive should craft a competitive investment framework that includes subsidized county levies and land rates for strategic industries. Establishing County Economic Zones would send a strong signal that Machakos is open for structured, large-scale investment.

But incentives alone are not enough. Investors look for enabling environments. That means good roads, reliable water supply, functional sewerage systems and consistent garbage collection. It means predictable regulatory processes and efficient service delivery. It means proper urban planning to avoid the chaos that has swallowed many emerging towns across the country.

Upcoming market centres such as Masii, Tala and Matuu must not be allowed to grow haphazardly. They require clear zoning plans, infrastructure mapping and enforcement of development standards. Planned growth protects land value, attracts quality businesses and improves the dignity of residents. Poor planning breeds congestion, informal sprawl and long-term economic stagnation.

Contractors are grappling with pending bills that threaten their businesses with bankruptcy. Small enterprises that completed county projects in good faith are struggling because payments are delayed. Silence on how these obligations will be cleared fuels frustration and erodes trust.

Equally disturbing is the broader issue of accountability. Concerns about wastage, opulence and misuse of public funds continue to circulate. A State of the County Address is the moment to reassure citizens that corruption is being confronted firmly and transparently. When such matters are glossed over, suspicion grows.

Oversight from other elected leaders appears weak. The Senator’s voice is faint. Members of Parliament seem comfortable. MCAs aligned with the executive offer applause where scrutiny is required. Oversight is not hostility. It is constitutional responsibility.

Machakos is a county of immense potential. Its proximity to Nairobi, its agricultural strength and its youthful population position it for rapid transformation. But potential alone does not build prosperity. Serious leadership does.

The people of Machakos deserve more than slogans. They deserve structured agricultural reforms, expanded irrigation, restored healthcare dignity, strengthened early education, revived public infrastructure, a credible investment strategy, prompt payment of contractors and uncompromising financial accountability. Above all, they deserve a leader who communicates with clarity and commands the issues with confidence.

When leadership falters, it is ordinary citizens who carry the burden. The time for cosmetic assurances has passed. Machakos requires urgent, decisive and transparent action. The future of the county depends on it.

Innocent Musumbi (Ndungata Ya Masaku)