• Since 2017, the position has been characterised by intense power struggles and political influence.
• On Thursday, the EACC rejected the nomination of Mutunga, citing he has been charged in the Milimani Anti- Court with corruption offences and the matter is pending before the court.
Image: ENOS TECHE
Under the second County Government of Nairobi, the position of Deputy Governor has largely remained vacant.
In the first administration in 2013, Jonathan Mueke served full term as former Evans Kidero’s deputy for the full term.
However, since then, the position has been characterised by intense power struggles and political influence.
After the general elections in August 2017, a new dawn of leadership was seen in Nairobi with Mike Sonko as governor and Polycarp Igathe as his deputy.
It was believed that the former Governor was to only run the political affairs at City Hall while Igathe was to deal with policy and planning.
Payment of pending bills and proposal to terminate the Sh23.2 million contract awarded to Web Tribe Ltd, Jambo Pay’s parent company, which was collecting parking revenue, and awarded to another firm was among the first sign of mistrust and acrimony between the two.
Early in January 2018, the two fell out to an extent they were not seen at City Hall at the same time leading to the short-lived political marriage.
Opting out, on January 12, 2018, and having served for four months, Igathe resigned as the Deputy Governor, citing a lack of trust from his boss.
Image: FILE
Four months later and having the pressure to find a deputy, on May 16, 2018, Sonko nominated the self-declared NRM General Miguna Miguna as his deputy sparking talk of how the endorsement will sail through amid the lawyer's citizenship row.
The initial nomination of deported Miguna for Nairobi deputy governor on May 17 last year was nullified by the Nairobi County Assembly.
The assembly rejected Miguna’s nomination on grounds that his Kenyan citizenship was revoked.
Former County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi cited Article 78 of the Constitution which does not allow a state officer to hold dual citizenship.
"Under Standing Order 1 of the House, the name of the nominee be referred back to the appointing authority for further validation," she ruled.
However, Miguna also rejected the offer saying he was not consulted and termed the move a “malicious distraction.”
Eight months later, on January 11, 2019, four female candidates have been short-listed as candidates for the position of Nairobi deputy governor.
Image: COURTESY
They include former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru, gender activist and insurance executive Agnes Kagure as well as lawyers Karen Nyamu and Jane Weru.
Karen Nyamu sought to vie for the Nairobi Woman Rep seat but lost to Rachel Shebesh during the Jubilee nomination exercise in last year’s elections.
Jane Weru is the executive director of Akiba Mashinani Trust, a non-profit organization that deals with housing development & finance.
KANANU'S ENTRY
On January 6, 2021, Sonko nominated Chief officer for Disaster Management Ann Kananu Mwenda to fill the DG position.
In a letter to Elachi, Sonko stated that besides the nomination being in line with article 180(5) of the Constitution and the Supreme Court Advisory of March 2018, the move further was motivated by the complexity of the situation in Nairobi following his arrest and being in charged.
Image: EZEKIEL AMINGA
"Given the foregoing, and in the interest of ensuring stability at Kenya’s Capital City and largest County by economy and population, I do hereby nominate Anne Kananu to the position of Deputy Governor,” read the letter.
Before the Assembly could vet her, a Nairobi voter Peter Agoro went to court and sought orders to block the process.
However, on January 7, 2021, an anti-corruption court allowed Agoro to withdraw the case paving way for the vetting of the DG.
After twelve months of waiting, Kananu appeared before the Appointments Committee of the county assembly and was vetted on January 15 and a report was tabled on the floor of the assembly, where she was unanimously approved.
She moved to City Hall and occupied the position that had been left vacant for three years after Igathe’s exit.
With ongoing cases, challenging her vetting process Kananu could not be sworn in as Governor and remained as a deputy.
However, last month the Supreme Court cleared her swearing-in after Sonko lost a petition he filed at the Supreme Court where she sought to block the oath pending the hearing of his case challenging the impeachment.
ASCENSION TO POWER
On November 16, 2021, Kananu finally was sworn in as the third and First female Nairobi governor after serving as a DG for 10 months.
A day later, she nominated her chief of staff Paul Mutunga to be her deputy and forwarded the name to the Speaker of the Nairobi County Assembly.
Last Thursday, he was vetted and his name was approved by the house paving way for him to be sworn in.
A day after, the High Court issued temporary orders preventing Mutunga from taking the oath of office.
This is after human rights activist Okiya Omtata filed an application challenging the eligibility of Mutunga to hold the office of the Deputy Governor.
The orders were given by Judge Hedwig Og’undi.
On Thursday, the Ethics and Anti- Corruption Commission rejected the nomination of Mutunga, citing he has been charged in the Milimani Anti- Court, file number ACC8/2019 with corruption offences and the matter is pending before the court.
After High Court’s order and EACC objection, it is still not clear whether Nairobi will have a Deputy Governor under the leadership of Kananu who is only in office for eight months.
Edited by D Tarus