• The governor has rejected the appeal, arguing that Chepsat is not a woman and that he a waits parliament to enact law on appointing deputy governors.
•Sonko has however announced that he will be sacking some of his ministers and chief officers soon, and Chepsat may benefit if he applies.
Image: COURTESY
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko on Wednesday rejected a public appeal by a man, through national dailies, to be his deputy, because he was not a woman.
Through social media, Sonko said that while he appreciated Philip Sogoti Chepsat's expression of interest to serve alongside him as the bosses of the city, he would not appoint him as he had committed to appointing a woman to that position.
"Too bad you are not a woman ..... I believe in not only upholding the gender rule but exceeding it. This is why half of Nairobi County executive members are women," he said in the post.
He also said that he would only appoint someone to the position "once the legislation pending in Parliament on nomination and appointment of deputy governor is assented into law."
In a rare advert appearing on one of the dailies on Wednesday, Chepsat, who is a voter and a resident of the city, appealed to Sonko to appoint him, describing himself as driven by 'strong convictions' that he could make a significant contribution to the governor's efforts to improve the city.
On his qualification, Chepsat said he is a university graduate with over 15 years experience in public service.
Perhaps to massage the governor's ego, he indicated he is aware that Sonko cherishes openness and transparency, a pleasantry that the governor acknowledged in his public response.
Chepsat had indicated that he had made an earlier request privately but did not received response, making him to doubt whether the governor received it.
However, in his response, Sonko said that his office received "your earlier communications and we were in the process of writing you a formal regret.."
Not all is lost though for Chepsat, as the controversial governor announced in the same post that he will be sacking a number of his ministers and chief officers sleeping on the job soon, encouraging him to keep applying whenever vacancy arises.
"My appeal to you is not to give up on your dream to serve in leadership of Nairobi County ......I shall soon be sending home several nonperforming Members of County Executive Committee and Chief Officers who are sleeping on the job and you should be on the standby to apply when the County Public Service Board advertises to fill the position," he said.
Not all is lost though for Chepsat, as the controversial governor announced in the same post that he will be sacking a number of his ministers and chief officers sleeping on the job soon, encouraging him to keep applying whenever vacancy arises.
"My appeal to you is not to give up on your dream to serve in leadership of Nairobi County ......I shall soon be sending home several nonperforming Members of County Executive Committee and Chief Officers who are sleeping on the job and you should be on the standby to apply when the County Public Service Board advertises to fill the position," he said.