Sonko, Badi ‘bury the hatchet’
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) Director General Mohammed Badi have agreed to bury their hatchet and work together going forward.
This comes amid a warning by President Uhuru Kenyatta that he will not tolerate any more dirty politics in Nairobi, calling on leaders in the capital to focus instead on service delivery to residents.
Speaking during the issuance of title deeds to landowners in Nairobi at KICC on Wednesday, the President warned elected leaders in Nairobi to put aside politics and focus on service delivery to residents.
He said that establishing NMS was to transform the capital into a city befitting its status by uplifting the livelihoods of residents who continue to wallow in misery without water, proper sewerage system, roads and hospitals, among others.
The Head of State warned Governor Sonko to desist from endless politics making it clear that he will not allow politicking to overshadow his pledge and vision for the city.
No interest in the post of the governor
“Sonko stop petty politics. Badi has no interest in the post of the governor, speaker, MCA or any other post. After he is done with NMS, he will go back to the military to protect Kenyans. We are here to serve the people and not to cause confusion and commotion and that who is not ready let them step aside,” President Kenyatta said.
Consequently, Governor Sonko said he has put aside any differences he had with NMS DG Badi and they will now work closely to deliver to Nairobi residents.
“We have heard the call from the President and all those bad things I have said about Badi I ask for forgiveness. We will work together going forward as Nairobi is bigger than all of us,” he said.
On his part, Major General Badi also pledged to walk together with Mr Sonko saying he is ready to work with the governor after burying their differences.
“Our differences are now gone and I promise the governor that we will work together going forward. We do not have any bad blood between us and our work is to deliver services to the people and you will see us launching projects together,” said Mr Badi.
The President said that since NMS took over key functions of the county government, they have drilled close to 100 boreholes and put in place water kiosks among other things and the new office is set to embark on the opening of roads in informal settlements including Kibera, Mukuru then look into issues of electricity and security.
NMS has also kicked off the construction of 24 new hospitals in informal settlements with the aim of ensuring that residents get health services closer to their residences.
“Our work as elected leaders is service delivery to those who elected us and not wrangles every time. I don’t want any more politics but to ensure we have roads, good sewerage system, water and so on. We are here to serve the people and I will deliver on my pledge,” said President Kenyatta.
During the event, the president presided over the handing over of about 2,000 title deeds to landowners in Nairobi saying that another 30,000 titles for Embakasi Ranch owners are ready and would be issued next week.
“The remaining 20,000 titles that have some hitches, the county government and the Ministry of Land will work together to make sure they are ready. We have issued more five million titles across the country since coming into office,” he said.