Disquiet rocks Nairobi assembly as MCA's protest Ruto, Raila deal on Sakaja

Disquiet has gripped Nairobi MCAs a day after they were persuaded to shelve their bid to impeach Governor Johnson Sakaja, with some warning that the plan remains “very much alive".

On Tuesday, President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga convinced the ward reps to hold off the impeachment motion against the first-term county boss.

Yesterday, Ruto was scheduled to meet Kenya Kwanza leaders for the second day in a row in an attempt to secure a lasting truce between the governor and the assembly.

But even as MCAs complied with the directive to shelve the motion, murmurs of dissent spread through the assembly, with some quietly protesting what they described as interference from political heavyweights.

“We are not happy. I can tell you most of us are not happy. We will only drop these things if the governor styles up," an agitated ODM MCA told the Star.

Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai, a key proponent of the impeachment, said the matter is still on the table and had only been paused after intervention by party leaders.

“The President gave the governor and us 60 days to resolve our issues. Baba gave us 30. So we are still within that timeline. If Sakaja fails to change, we will be back,” Alai said.

He said the assembly will closely monitor Sakaja’s leadership, stressing that accountability cannot be evaded.

“We respect Baba and the President. That is why we shelved it for now. But the impeachment is very much alive,” he said.

Sources revealed that some leaders allied to party bosses have issued veiled threats to MCAs, warning of disciplinary action or denial of party tickets in 2027 should they persist with the impeachment push.

At the centre of the pressure, insiders said, is a female MCA close to a party leader, who has allegedly been telling colleagues to back off.

“She is threatening us, but we are not listening to her. We are listening to what Raila and Ruto told us—for now,” another MCA said.

Mathare North MCA Oscar Lore said while Tuesday’s meeting calmed tensions, there is still unease among some members.

“Of course, people respect Baba and the President. That is why tensions have come down, but people are still talking,” he said.

During the meeting at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation in Upper Hill, chaired by Raila, MCAs vented frustrations over Sakaja’s leadership.

ODM Nairobi chairman George Aladwa, speaker Ken Ngondi and veteran politician Fred Gumo also attended the four-hour session.

“They said the governor is inaccessible. He has not released bursary funds and ward development allocations are also being withheld,” Aladwa told the Star.

Sakaja did not respond to calls seeking his comment.

Analysts say Ruto and Raila’s intervention is not just about easing political tensions but also about safeguarding their stakes in Nairobi ahead of the 2027 elections.

Both are keen to maintain control of the capital, which holds enormous economic and political weight.

At the same time, fears are mounting over the growing influence of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in Nairobi politics.

Several MCAs allied to him were present at the State House meeting, with sources suggesting they were displeased by the decision to spare Sakaja—at least for now.

 INSTANT ANALYSIS

Nairobi MCAs had unanimously agreed to impeach Governor Johnson Sakaja over what they term as sheer incompetence and neglect of development projects at the ward level. The resolution was passed after a speaker Kamkunji, convened by Speaker Ken Ngondi to allow the MCAs to ventilate on the persistent grievances they have been complaining about. A special retreat has been scheduled for Tuesday next week in Naivasha, where the assembly leadership will spearhead signature collection.