Governor Wavinya Ndeti speaks after witnessing the swearing in of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Anastasia Wayua Victor, March 27, 2025. /SCREENGRABMachakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has defended her record in office, saying she inherited a dysfunctional county government, but has since turned the situation around.
Speaking during a media interview on NTV on Thursday, Ndeti said her administration walked into office in 2022 to find a county whose public service lacked proper structures and operational systems.
“It was a dysfunctional public service. There were no structures, no policy frameworks for guidance. We had to start from scratch,” she claimed.
According to the governor, her first task was to establish basic governance structures and policy frameworks that would guide service delivery.
She explained that her government developed at least 10 policy documents, including human resource policies, to streamline county operations and ensure staff had clear guidelines.
"We had to come up with at least 10. We had to make sure that if you had those policies, like HR policies, then people are guided very well,” she added.
Beyond governance reforms, Ndeti highlighted what she described as tangible development achievements within her three years in office.
She said her administration has rehabilitated and recarpeted roads across several parts of the county, improving connectivity for residents and traders.
On healthcare, the governor said her government has invested heavily in expanding and upgrading facilities.
She noted that 25 new health centres have been constructed across Machakos, while several existing hospitals are being elevated to Level 4 status.
She singled out Muindi Mbingu Hospital, saying it is set to become a teaching and referral hospital comparable to the Kenyatta National Hospital.
“If you look at hospitals, I have constructed over 25 new health facilities in Machakos. Muindi Mbingu Hospital, for example, will be like Kenyatta National Hospital. It will serve as a teaching and referral facility for the region,” she said.
In agriculture and water management, Ndeti pointed to the construction of over 130 mini-dams that she said have enhanced water harvesting and supported irrigation projects across the county.
The governor insisted that despite inheriting what she described as a broken system, her administration has made significant strides in restoring functionality and delivering services to the people of Machakos.
