MCAs want regeneration team revived to run Nairobi

Nairobi MCAs have shelved a plan to form an ad-hoc committee to run City Hall after Governor Mike Sonko was barred from office following graft charges. 

Instead, the ward reps want the Nairobi Regeneration Team revived to oversee operations in the capital.

A Tuesday speaker's kamukunji had proposed the formation of a committee but the ward reps reasoned they would face legal challenges.

“It would have been challenged in court in the sense that we cannot oversight and at the same time sit with the executive committee members who are supposed to do the implementation,” Minority leader David Mberia said.

Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi directed that the regeneration team be revived to support the executive in the effective service delivery to Nairobi residents.

The team's first task will be to streamline operation in the water, roads and solid waste management departments and clear pending bills.

“ The Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company should give out the water rationing programme, the executive should partner with KURA  in tarmacking and maintenance of county roads and work should be framed on how to deal with the refuse collecting firms,” Elachi said.

The regeneration team was appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta two years ago to solve the myriads of challenges the city has been facing but it has been inactive.

The agency is co-chaired by Tourism CS Najib Balala and Governor Sonko

Majority leader Charles Thuo told chairpersons of committees to step up their oversight duties.

“Our business as a house is to ensure that services are offered to the people and the chairperson should wake up and be active,” he said.

Majority whip June Ndegwa urged the legislators to find a solution for the county's problems.

“Let us perform our oversight roles, including coming up with solutions. Let us know who is in which position in the executive and where the gap is,” she said

Nominated MCA Leah Naikane said that the liaison committee should be strengthened for proper oversight.

The minority side accused the Jubilee MCAs of working with the executive.

Highrise MCA Kennedy Oyugi said it was important to work with the executive but ward reps should not forget their oversight role. 

Embakasi Central MCA Michael Ogada said that some departments had been closed due suspensions.

“This government is not functioning and we need to accept it. Sometimes we are misguided that supporting someone will make you re-elected. Let’s not have a county remain on autopilot forever. We cannot have a planning department without engineers because of suspensions,” he said.

Minority whip Peter Imwatok said that the county has been on autopilot for two months and the assembly needs to take action.

“ Service delivery of this government has failed and the regeneration committee should come back,” Kilimani MCA Moses Ogeto said.

(O.O)