President Uhuru Kenyatta’s trust in the military has manifested itself again as he seconded seven senior KDF personnel to the Nairobi Metropolitan Service.
President Kenyatta also sent two top army officers to the Ministry of Health in the wake of public outrage over the expenditure of Sh1.3 billion Covid 19 funds.
“The Defence Council approved secondment to Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) and Ministry of Health (MOH) of the General/Senior/Officers,” a document of secondment signed by Dr Ibrahim Mohamed, the secretary for Defence Council, read.
The document was not dated
Out of the seven officers seconded to NMS, four are from the Kenya Army and three from the Air Force.
The army officers are Brigadier F, Laura, Major J. V. Mbithi, Major A. N. Nyakundi and Major J. K. Njoroge.
Those from the Air Force are Major Mohamed Badi, who is the NMS director general, Colonel J. K. Biomdo and Major A. L. Musoma.
For the Ministry of Health, the President seconded Col (Dr) F. N. Kuria and Lt S. K. Mutua. The appointments come at the time the ministry is on the spot over the expenditure of billions donated by the World Bank to fight Covid-19 pandemic.
The secondment of the top army generals known for efficiency ould be viewed as a message to Governor Mike Sonko, who has threatened to pull out of the deal.
Sonko is embroiled in a feud with the President’s men, whom he accuses of hijacking the accord and misleading him.
He says some officers in the President’s circle are out to harass and embarrass him.
“In fact, I'm starting the process of terminating the deed of transfer just like any other ordinary contract. I will now personally go to court to have it terminated,” Sonko said two weeks ago.
The governor further claimed that he was hoodwinked into signing the transfer of critical county functions agreement, saying he did not know its content when he signed.
“I was not given sufficient time to even read the draft. I was just told it is a good thing on service delivery to the Great people of Nairobi (sic) as I deal with my court cases,” Sonko said.
Sonko signed away Health, Transport, Public Works, Panning and Auxiliary Services at a function presided over by the President at State House on February 25.
Nairobi Speaker Beatrice Elachi supported the move, saying the focus should not be on who is seconded to the NMS but on what it brings to the city residents.
“The four functions have already been transferred to the national government and it is up to them to do what is best to bring service delivery as expected by the President,” she said.
“There is no law indicating who should be seconded and if the head of state sees fit to add more military people at NMS, then let them do what is expected of them for Nairobi," Elachi added.
MPs Babu Owino (Embakasi East) and George Aladwa (Makadara) also backed the secondment of the military officers.
“As a leader, I think it is in order because Nairobi services had stalled for some time but as long as the new office will perform with additional of people being seconded, then there is no problem,” Aladwa said.
Owino said, “We are leaving in a handshake era and the Office of the President created the Nairobi Metropolitan Services. If the President acknowledges such moves, then I support anything that will bring better service delivery for Nairobi residents."
Edited by E.Kibii
