A section of Kisii Ward Reps are now questioning what they are describing as a unilaterally sanctioned “staggering expenditure” incurred by Kisii County government in transforming the former Nyambera dumpsite into a public park.

They claimed that as much as Sh120 million was used to fund the project

However, the official expenditure shows Sh45 million was used by the County to finance the Sunday inauguration of the Etaya Governor’s Park.

There had been no publicly disclosed official expenditure on the project itself, making the expenditure on the project likely to go higher.

On Tuesday, Masimba MCA Bouse Mairura said Governor Simba Arati’s administration’s administration was good at opaque expenditure of public funds.

He claimed that the county government spent about Sh120 million on the dumpsite transformation, with a further Sh45 million allegedly spent on the launch function alone.

Mairura accused Arati of unilaterally deciding to channel what he described as a “staggering allocation” into the project without adequate involvement of the County Assembly.

“What he does is that he brings unbundled budget into the Assembly and the lethargic and hungry MCAs just rubber stamp it, personally I could did not license the expenditure,” Mairura said.

The MCA said it is likely the expenditure provided the governor with an opportunity to dip fingers into the jar and challenged the county administration to account for the money used in the project.

The claims by the MCA now aspiring to be Nyaribari Masaba MP come days after Kisii hosted the 2026 World Cleanup Day celebrations, during which Arati officially showcased the transformation of the former Nyambera dumpsite into Etaya Governor’s Park.

The county has described the project as an environmental and recreational intervention following the decommissioning of the dumpsite.

Mairura also questioned the naming of the facility after the governor, arguing that public projects should not be personalised.

“The money that comes to Kisii from the national Treasury was public money, not personal cash. Should every leader winning a seat be naming every project under his name? That is being petty,” he said.

Mairura who was elected on UDA party ticket but later ditched it accused the county leadership of sidelining MCAs in oversight and claimed that some ward representatives were unwilling to challenge decisions made by the governor.

Mairura said his position as an MCA limited his ability to independently address what he considers failures in the county administration.

“I am the only voice with heightened sense to probe wanton expenditure, the rest are a choir team for the Governor. I cannot fix the mess alone,” he said.

He further accused the county government of undertaking some road projects that he described as substandard or incomplete, including projects in his Masimba Ward.

The MCA also criticised the governor over what he termed excessive political mobilisation around county events, alleging that cheer groups were being used to create political support.

Mairura said he had repeatedly confronted the governor over what he considers failures in governance, but insisted that his criticism was intended to push Arati to leave office with dignity.

“I only advised that he comes home with dignity,” he said.

On the 2027 political contest, Mairura dismissed suggestions that Governor Arati’s re-election was assured and said voters would have an opportunity to make a different choice.

He expressed support for former Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, saying his camp should not be underestimated.

“Don’t underestimate us. Machogu will end goonism,” Mairura said, predicting that the former Cabinet Secretary would defeat Arati.

He also cautioned against relying on what he termed “fake opinion polls” that appear to project Machogu as a lame duck in the race.

Mairura claimed that Arati’s political team was currently divided and alleged that the governor lacked the backing of several influential political figures.

” He is a man drowning but clutching on straws,” Mairura said.

He also criticised Deputy Governor Elijah Obebo, accusing him of failing to use his position to influence development for his Nyaribari people.

The county governor has publicly presented the Nyambera transformation as an environmental project, saying the former dumpsite posed public-health and environmental risks and that its conversion into a green public space was part of a wider waste-management programme.

Arati described those opposing his projects as “fueled by malice and hate” to fight his administration.

“Their primary motivation to fight even such noble projects is built around political venom and hatred for me,” he said.