Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has criticised the condition of Machakos People’s Park, accusing the county administration of allowing the public facility to deteriorate several years after it was developed during his tenure as the county’s first governor. Mutua raised the concerns after visiting the park on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, saying he was disappointed by what he saw at the facility. He described the park as a shadow of what it was during his time in office and said parts of the property appeared poorly maintained. Mutua pointed to a vandalised fence, dry grass and overgrown vegetation, saying the condition of the facility had contributed to people referring to it as a “Snake Park.” He also said the deterioration was particularly concerning because the facility had been developed using public resources.

Mutua served as Machakos governor from 2013 to 2017 and oversaw the development of the People’s Park, which became one of the county’s prominent recreational and tourism facilities. The former governor said the park had previously served as a major public space where families could spend time, young people could gather and visitors could experience Machakos. He subsequently challenged Governor Wavinya Ndeti to allow him to rehabilitate the facility, saying he would use his own resources to restore it.

Ndeti, however, rejected Mutua’s criticism and defended her administration’s management of the park. The governor accused her predecessor of focusing on the condition of one facility while overlooking other developments undertaken by her administration across the county. She also questioned the political motivations behind Mutua’s visit and criticism. Ndeti said her administration had continued to invest in roads, infrastructure and youth programmes, arguing that the county’s development record should be assessed more broadly. She also maintained that the People’s Park remains an important public facility and that her government has continued to maintain it.

A separate statement reported by Nairobi Leo said Ndeti described the park as a venue that continues to host events, including the annual Vuka Festival, and said regular maintenance and upkeep are undertaken at the facility. The county government’s own documents provide additional context to the dispute. In her 2026 State of the County Address, Ndeti’s administration stated that support infrastructure at Machakos People’s Park was being routinely maintained and renovated to keep the facility operational and suitable for visitors. The document also acknowledged that some infrastructure requires work because of wear and tear.

This position contrasts with Mutua’s assessment of the park after his recent visit. Mutua has described the facility as significantly deteriorated, while the county administration maintains that it continues to undertake maintenance and that the park remains functional. The conflicting accounts mean that claims about the extent of the park’s deterioration are, at this stage, largely based on the respective assessments of Mutua and the county government. The disagreement has also revived political tensions between Mutua and Ndeti, who have previously competed for political influence in Machakos.

For Mutua, the park remains part of the development record of his tenure as governor and a project he considers an important public asset. For Ndeti, the criticism comes from a former governor whose administration she argues should be assessed alongside the wider challenges and development priorities facing the county. The dispute is therefore not simply about the physical condition of the park. It also reflects competing claims over the development legacy of Machakos County and how public projects initiated by previous administrations should be maintained by their successors.

The People’s Park was developed as a recreational and tourism facility and remains under the county government’s management. The current disagreement is centred on whether the facility has received adequate maintenance and investment since Mutua left office. For residents and businesses that use the facility, the immediate issue is less about the political exchange and more about the condition and continued usability of the public space. Mutua has offered to help restore the park, while Ndeti’s administration maintains that it is already undertaking maintenance.