Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi says it's time to take his leadership skills to City Hall, having served Westlands for 15 years as a councillor and an MP.
Wanyonyi said if elected governor next year, he will bring in leadership, integrity and professionalism, something which his predecessors lacked.
“In my 15 years in politics I have never been a criminal, never charged or accused of corruption. So I'm fit and have the capability as per the law,” he said during an interview with the Star on Wednesday.
The Westlands MP says Nairobi has been a sinking ship since devolution and he believes his leadership skills will steer the capital city back on track.
“I will bring something that Nairobians have lacked for years and not just leadership by word of mouth, but in terms of actions and accountability to the voters.
"My leadership will be without bias, corruption and incompetency,” Wanyonyi said.
He said Evans Kidero came in as the first governor of Nairobi from being the CEO of a big company and people had very high expectations of him.
"Being his first time in politics I think he was overwhelmed, his style didn't fit with people's expectations," Wanyonyi said.
The legislator said former governor Mike Sonko came in office driven by the Jubilee euphoria, where he became a populist, convinced people he could outdo Kidero and deliver better.
“As a senator Sonko did very well. He started running a parallel government whereby in times of emergency he would supply ambulances and fire engines.
"But after becoming the governor he got confused and realised maybe he lacked the capacity to run Nairobi," Wanyonyi said.
He pointed out that Sonko's biggest mistake was personalising everything and running the county as a one-man show, wanting to take credit for everything.
“This was a big mistake because as a leader you should always listen, respect and walk with the people who provide technical support for your leadership, otherwise on your own you can never succeed," the MP said.
If he becomes the county boss, the MP promises to provide a safe working environment where professionalism and integrity thrive. He says he will make Nairobi an international business hub like Los Angeles.
“The new generations should be able to enjoy Nairobi as the city under the sun. I have never experienced that and don't know how it looked like," Wanyonyi said.
The MP says Nairobi should be run like a smart city with priority on social, physical, institutional (governance) and economic infrastructure.
Wanyonyi pledges not to reapeat the same mistakes that led to Nairobi's takeover by the national government.
For over 10 years, opinion polls by leading pollsters Ipsos Synovate and Infrotrak have ranked Wanyonyi as the best performing legislator among the 17 MPs in Nairobi.
Last September, Infotrack placed him second behind Kibra MP Imran Okoth who took over from his late brother Ken Okoth.
As an MP, he has focused on education as his pet project, constructing various classrooms.
In his first term, Wanyonyi, who is the brother to Senator Moses Wetang'ula, initiated Miradi Mitaani programmes and table banking , initiatives that he says have transformed many lives in his constituency.
Last month, the MP was endorsed by Ida Odinga, wife to Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga.
Ida described Wanyonyi as very organised and intelligent person since they worked together in the Kenya Paraplegic Organisation.
Faceless cartels
From Kidero to Sonko and even the Nairobi Metropolitan Services, cartels have been accused of tampering with service delivery.
Wanonyi believes that the faceless cartels are within the corridors of City Hall where they have set up business empires and gone to bed with the administration.
“If you want to get rid of cartels, don't look for them. Just seal the loopholes and they will be gone,” he said.
The MP said former Nairobi clerk Phillip Kisia at one point almost dismantled that the cartel axis but when he left to join politics they regrouped.
Decongestion
Wanyonyi says decongesting Nairobi requires improving the public transport and bringing back the Kenya Bus Service system, which he says was disciplined and effective.
Most city residents have lost confidence in public transport due to its rogueness and that has led to the rise of private cars especially within the city centre.
“During the Kenya Bus era, the buses plied on legal and well known routes. Number 8 was known for Kibera and only Kibera. It could not ply any other route,” the MP said.
"Public transport works for many cities across the world but in Nairobi it has been left in the hands of the private sector," he added.
Nairobi has also been invaded by hawkers who have turned city streets into a nightmare for pedestrians and the inspectorate officers.
Alleys, backstreets, walkways, streets, avenues, roads and even pavements have been overrun as traders occupy every little space .
With both Sonko and Kidero having failed to deal with hawkers, Wanyonyi says under his leadership, hawkers will be registered, licensed and given designated areas on specific days.
“Hawkers will always be there as long as the government fails to provide trading places. I have seen other cities where on certain days they close specific roads for a specific period to allow traders sell their products,” he said.
In the late 1950s the only street trading permitted in the commercial and residential areas of Nairobi was selling of newspapers and even this was restricted.
However, by 1984 close to 20,000 hawkers had invaded the city. This number is now estimated to be about 40,000, with the central business district alone said to be hosting over 5,000 hawkers daily, data by Nairobi City Council licensing department shows.
Wanyonyi believes that having a proper legal framework for hawkers free from harassment, will end their troubles in the city centre and streets will be left to pedestrians.
Revenue
The Westlands MP also pledged to streamline the Inspectorate Department (Kanjo).
He alleged that the departemtn lacks principles, training and in turn people refrain from paying taxes as they know they will pay 'kitu kidogo' to Kanjo.
“Without morals and principals, people cannot deliver. The people under the Inspectorate and Enforcement Department have been at City Hall for many years, they have adopted an entitlement culture.
“This mentality will end under my leadership. I will make sure the Inspectorate Department is streamlined,” Wanyonyi said.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
