Nairobi to be scrapped as county in proposed law
A proposed law seeks to scrap Nairobi county and revert its leadership to the national government.
The Bill, sponsored by Murang’a Senator Kembi Gitura, seeks to give powers to the President to nominate a cabinet secretary to head the city.
“It seeks to amend the Constitution so as to reduce the number of counties to 46 by excluding Nairobi from the ambit of county government,” Kembi stated.
“The bill further seeks to establish Nairobi as the national capital city and empowers the President to nominate a Cabinet Secretary to head the same.”
The proposal may open a new battlefront between Jubilee and Cord. Nairobi county is headed by Governor Evans Kidero who was elected on an opposition ticket.
Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ told the Star he would mobilise his colleagues to defeat the bill, terming it part of Jubilee’s centralist mentality.
“Jubilee has never been comfortable with sharing power with the devolved governments. And they have said many things… They have said health should go back to the national government… They have said the senate should be scrapped,” he said.
Kajwang’ warned Jubilee against the legislation, adding that governments do change.
“They should not amend the constitution and try to make some decision simply because they are in power today,” he said.
“In 2017, Jubilee might not be in power and if they think that taking Nairobi as a national government appendage is going to increase their clout, then they must remember that there is going to be another government.”
He continued: “Even if they don’t like Kidero, let them just campaign to have someone who can be a better manager than Kidero rather than try to mutilate the Constitution. This is a bill that we will oppose.”
But Senate majority leader Kindiki Kithure dissociated the government from the bill , saying he had neither seen nor heard about it.
“Government bills are introduced in the House by the Leader of Majority, not by the Speaker, not by any other person,” he told the Star.
Nairobi to be scrapped as county in proposed law
