Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko has hit out at Devolution CS Anne Waiguru for not inviting him to the Tuesday launch of the slum upgrade programme.
“Waiguru should know that Nairobi has many leaders who should be involved. Rumour has it that she wants to be the next Nairobi governor and maybe that is why she did not invite me because we are rivals,” Sonko told the Star on phone on Thursday.
He however said that despite Waiguru “messing up”, it is wrong for Nairobi Jubilee MCAs to criticise the project by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Sonko said the programme is meant for the whole of Nairobi, not just ‘Cord areas’ as the MCAs alleged.
He said the MCAs should respect the President and “stop unnecessary noise since they are political infants”.
“I am the one who told the President that the slum upgrading programme should be rolled out in the entire Eastlands area. It will go to Kisumu, Machakos and other areas.
“This is what will empower the youth. Some Jubilee MCAs should know that they are one-term MCAs. They are the ones who have been misled and not the President,” he said.
Sonko noted that his support for Uhuru remains despite not being invited to the event.
He advised Jubilee to solve its wrangles internally and not through the media.
“Don’t fight the president through the newspapers. All MCAs should know that the Jubilee coalition is inclusive and not exclusive,” he said.
The Jubilee MCAs led by Minority leader Abdi Guyo said on Wednesday that they are offended because they are not involved in the programme.
They said they will not support Waiguru for not inviting them to the Eastlands launch on Tuesday.
A number of them however recanted their statements that evening.
“I don’t want trouble. I did not abuse Waiguru,” one said claiming to have been misquoted.
Despite the retractions, Guyo maintained that Jubilee MCAs are being sidelined in the projects.
“I stand by what I said. We have been sidelined and that is a fact. I will say it again, that we the Jubilee MCAs need to be involved in the slum upgrading project and the President needs to visit our areas,” he stated.
He said he will fight for their inclusion.
