•Sonko has questioned Uhuru on why he would allow voters be displaced by evictions.
•The governor accused "State House hijackers" of taking advantage of the Deed of Transfer.
Image: PSCU
Eight months after handing over key county functions to the state, Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko is a bitter man.
He has blamed his woes on State House officials allied to the President and the Nairobi Metropolitan Service.
Never known to be publicity-shy, Sonko has openly expressed his woes and never hesitated to call out the President.
This has also revealed the bitter–sweet relationship between Sonko and Uhuru.
As Kenya celebrated Mashujaa Day on Tuesday, Sonko posted a video of the first President Jomo Kenyatta in social media.
“Our founding father hata kama kijana anatunyanyasa, may you continue to rest in peace .Wewe ni Shujaa wangu na Wakenya wote,” he said.
On October 16, Sonko showed he was ready to call a spade a spade.
"We are tired of your government. We respect you but we are not afraid of you, that is why we shall address the issues that affect the people," Sonko stated.
Putting the Head of State on the spot, Sonko has strongly condemned demolition of properties and evictions of people in Nairobi to pave way for development projects.
On October 6, residents of Kibra were left counting losses after bulldozers pulled down their houses and business structures.
The demolition was undertaken by the Kenya Railways Corporation that sought to reclaim land next to the railway line that cuts through the slum.
This year, Nairobi has seen major demolitions in Kariobangi North and Ruai as the state moved in to reclaim land to pave way for development projects.
Sonko questioned why Uhuru allowed voters be displaced.
“I have seen you have asked for forgiveness today, and I hope going forward these issues of forceful evictions will not happen again," he said.
"With a lot of pain and bitterness let me say this, Article 40(4) of our Kenyan Constitution must apply before demolitions and evictions of this nature are carried out".
Two weeks ago, the county boss refused to append his signature on the Nairobi City County Appropriations Bill, 2020, referring it back to the county assembly with a memorandum.
The bill was passed on October 8 by the assembly approving Sh37.5 billion budget , allocating NMS Sh27.1 billion and Sonko’s administration Sh8.4 billion.
Sonko affirmed he was not against development but wanted the budget process to be legitimate and not a punitive exercise targeting his administration.
He questioned why the functions run by the county government had their money slashed against the already laid plans in the County Fiscal Strategy Paper 2020-21.
Speaking in Soweto after a church service last Sunday, Sonko claimed that the Covid-19 billionaires, referring to them as thieves, are also behind the Nairobi Metropolitan Services.
“The MCAs did a good job and had allocated the correct funds even to the functions I have remained with but wakora sneaked in a different budget in the night before the Appropriation Bill was passed in the assembly,” he said
“We have gone through a lot but where it has reached I will not sit back and be oppressed knowing as a governor I have the constitutional rights”.
The governor has publicly said he was duped into signing the Deed of Transfer of functions.
In April, Sonko warned cartels against hijacking the deed of transfer he signed with the national government in February.
The governor accused ‘State House hijackers’ of taking advantage of the deed of transfer and decided to pursue its implementation in an 'atrocious and repugnant manner'.
Sonko took to Twitter to rant, "Let them kill me or jail me if they want, ndio waendelee na ujinga zao [so they continue with their stupidity] when I’m not your governor.”
He later said he was duped into signing the Deed of Transfer as he was served alcohol at State House before appending his signature on the document.
“I was not sober,” Sonko explained to his followers on Facebook.
“Hawa watu wa State House waliniconfuse na pombe kwanza (some people at State House made me confused with alcohol) by the time I was meeting the President for the signing I was just seeing zigzag,” he said.
The wrangles between the Nairobi county and the national government over the transferred functions were assigned to the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee for resolution.
To date the committee is looking for ways to solve the dispute.
President Kenyatta told Sonko to support NMS director general Mohammed Badi, adding his job had not been snatched.
“No one’s job has been snatched. We should work together to develop Nairobi,” Uhuru said without directly mentioning Sonko.
The President spoke on Friday while addressing residents outside Pumwani after holding a meeting with leaders of the boda boda safety association.