• Sakaja said that MCAs could be afraid of playing their constitutional role of oversight, saying that he has been tasked to ask some of the questions in the Senate, which should be the MCA’s role.
• Sakaja faulted NMS in its work in some sectors including the collection of garbage within the city, and the demolitions that have been witnessed.
Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja has expressed his concern regarding the failure by Nairobi MCAs to hold the Nairobi Metropolitan Service accountable.
Sakaja said that MCAs could be afraid of playing their constitutional role of oversight, saying that he has been tasked to ask some of the questions in the Senate, which should be the MCA’s role.
“The ability to oversight NMS has gone down. The County Assembly Members are extremely afraid of asking questions. So, you have no question being asked in the County Assembly,” Sakaja said.
Speaking on Tuesday morning in an interview on Spice FM, the senator said that he has been forced to question NMS on the stalled Dandora Stadium, and the tax collection in Nairobi, which he said is bad for small businesses.
“First, you are paying over 13 licences...second, there are women who are being hurled into county trucks for not paying Sh35. It is hard,” he said
At the same time, Sakaja faulted NMS in its work in some sectors including the collection of garbage within the city, and the demolitions that have been witnessed.
“There were many demolitions being done and people not being told where to go to…when you elect me, I am accountable to you, but when I am appointed, I don’t care, I report to the president, and I am a military officer,” he said.
However, the senator lauded NMS for offering tremendous services to the Nairobians since it was established, likening its operation to a running machine.
The senator said that there are a lot of developments across the country, unlike the two previous administrations which he said were not able to deliver for Nairobi residents.
“What NMS has done, is almost like a machine. You will see pavements being done, you will see businesses being done, you will see hospitals being done but also you will demolitions. You won’t see a pathetic face,” Sakaja said.
Sakaja said that the functions which were transferred to the NMS from the County Government of Nairobi have improved and the locals are witnessing the changes which were not there before.
The four functions which are County Transport services, County Public Works, Utilities and Ancillary services, and County Government Planning and Development were transferred to NMS in an agreement with former governor Mike Sonko and the national government.
Edited by D Tarus