• Sonko appears to be blaming his woes on his association with Deputy President William Ruto.
• Sonko questioned why he has been branded a sympathiser with Tangatanga, a Jubilee faction allied to the DP, soon after he met Ruto.
Image: COURTESY
Image: DPPS
Embattled Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko now appears to be blaming his predicament on his association with Deputy President William Ruto.
Sonko questioned why he has been branded a sympathiser with Tangatanga, a Jubilee faction allied to the DP, soon after he met Ruto.
Two days later his security details and drivers were withdrawn.
The city boss met the DP at his Karen home in Nairobi last week, just a few hours before threatening to withdraw the deed of transfer agreement he signed with the national government.
Sonko cited frustrations from State House "hijackers".
He transferred four key functions: Health, transport, public works and planning, and development services.
“Being invited by the DP to his office is what you call Tangatanga. We have democracy and freedom of association in Kenya. The dark days of torturing people are over,” Sonko said.
On Friday, Sonko’s drivers and security officers guarding his Upper Hill private office and his Mua Hills home were withdrawn and seconded to the Nairobi Metropolitan Services, the new agency taking over the four functions.
On Monday, his spokesman Ben Mulwa questioned why the aides were only withdrawn after the governor met the DP.
“Why is it a problem when he meets the DP? Why is he being called Tangatanga because even last week he and Raila Odinga had been meeting even the President and he has never been branded this way."
The county boss further questioned why his visit to ODM leader Raila Odinga did not amount to such a big deal.
“If any leader - be it Kalonzo [Musyoka], [Musalia] Mudavadi, [Moses] Wetang'ula, or even the DP and Raila - again invites me for a meeting, I will honour that invitation with the respect I have for all our leaders,” he said.
“This frustration, humiliation and embarrassment won’t last forever. There is a living God in heaven who sees everything and whose time is the best.”
Mulwa questioned the rationale behind the withdrawal of the governor’s aides and termed it part of the wider plot by State House operatives to frustrate and embarrass his boss.
“They have targeted senior officers in the Inspectorate who work directly as his drivers or personal security. He is a governor and he is entitled to county security and drivers. In our view, it is malicious,” he said.
Sonko had also complained early this month that the same “State House hijackers" had taken advantage of the transfer of functions agreement, using it to attack him.
This is not the first time his bodyguards have been withdrawn. In January last year, his security detail was scaled down.
Inspector-General of Police Hilary Mutyambai had announced that all governors and MPs with graft cases would have their security details withdrawn until clearance from the courts.
As a result, the county boss directed that at least 20 city Inspectorate officers who were guarding county executives and chief officers be withdrawn and go for fresh training to be part of his security detail.
Sonko reportedly presided over the training of the 20 officers at the Kirigiti Shooting Range in Kiambu county. However, after signing the Deed of Transfer on February 17, some of his bodyguards were reinstated.
Back in 2018, Sonko lost at least 20 bodyguards after they were withdrawn following an order from the Interior ministry scaling down the level of VIPs' protection by a half.
In addition, 800 Inspectorate officers from City Hall have now been seconded to the Nairobi Metropolitan Service. They will now be reporting and receiving orders from NMS director general Mohammed Badi.
(Edited by F. Orieny)