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Stop interfering with Nairobi Metropolitan Service, MCAs warn Sonko


Nairobi MCAs have sounded another warning to Governor Mike Sonko to stop interfering with the operations of Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS), saying they will not “sit and wait”.

The cross section of MCAs, largely drawn from the minority side, have accused Governor Sonko of unprecedented attack and interference in the process of implementation of the Deed of Transfer of functions between the State and the county government.

INCITEMENT

Led by Minority Whip Peter Imwatok, the ward representatives cited threats by the governor to withdraw from the Deed as well as challenging actions of NMs including “inciting” seconded county staff not to report to their new work stations.

The MCAs now are warning the governor to stop these actions or else they resort to “appropriate legislative action” when they resume the assembly sittings next month should the interference in the operations of NMS persist.

“The net effect of these choreographed actions is the grounding or slowing down of the operations of NMS hence we cannot see NMS’s output as directed by the President. Things are now becoming thick and as members of the County Assembly we shall not sit and wait,” said Mr Imwatok.

There have been talks of reintroduction of an impeachment motion against Mr Sonko after a similar one spearheaded by Mr Imwatok was nipped in the bud after the intervention of President Uhuru Kenyatta in February.

But now the county legislators want the City Hall boss to toe the line or it will not be business as usual, saying that it is the high level of inefficiency, ineptitude and complete shut down in service delivery at City Hall that forced President Kenyatta to intervene and take away four critical functions from City Hall.

He said it was the President who appealed to them to drop plans to impeach Governor Sonko and instead support the new initiative so that service delivery in Nairobi can be restored.

PUBLIC RESOURCES

And true to the appeal from the Head of State, the MCAs have gone ahead to approve the Deed of Transfer of functions, consented with the transfer of City Hall staff to NMS, and approved a supplementary budget to which appropriated funds to the new office.

“In a non-partisan manner, we have risen to the occasion and expressed full support to the NMS initiative since we believe it is the only avenue available to salvage the County,” said the Makongeni MCA.

The ward representatives called on President Kenyatta to direct the National Treasury to release funds they had already appropriated to NMS through the revoked Supplementary Appropriation Act, 2020 to help in spurring development in the Wards.

However, he alleged that there are also certain State House officers who have joined hands to frustrate the new office as they are “worried that if resources they have been siphoning is transferred to NMS, they will not have the opportunity to continue plundering public resources”.

The ODM MCA alleged that there is a company by the name, Noveta, owned by the “cartels” which is currently collecting revenue in Nairobi yet it is not fool proof and their systems cannot be audited.

He alleged that the officers are involved in brokering legal payments, approval of finance releases, approval plans in the County in the name of State House and invoking the Presidency at any given time for their selfish interests.

“We therefore urge the President to intervene and unlock the operations of NMS by reigning on Sonko and a few State House operatives (whom we shall soon name) including those at the Office of the Attorney General whom we understand are now ‘auctioning’ legal advice,” he said.