Lawyer Miguna Miguna will be vetted and approved by the Nairobi Assembly as the Deputy Governor, Speaker Beatrice Elachi has said.
This is because “he’s Governor Mike Sonko’s choice”, she told reporters in Mombasa on Saturday, flanked by MCAs.
Miguna was deported to Canada twice and the government has refused to give him a Kenyan passport unless he applies for one.
But should his approval as the DG come, he will automatically be entitled to a diplomatic passport, meaning he will gain entry to the country.
Elachi noted Sonko and Miguna have rights to the nomination and that they are fully behind the county boss.
“On the day he comes back, we will vet him. We have no choice… I mean, he is the Governor’s choice … we will respect that,” Elachi said during a retreat of the Nairobi Assembly Liaison Committee at Flamingo Hotel.
She is expected to table Miguna’s name as the Assembly will be on recess until then.
Sonko sparked conversation about the city’s future and the nature of politics in Kenya by nominating Miguna following Polycarp Igathe’s resignation in January.
Miguna is a self-styled General of the NRMKe, which is under the Opposition’s Nasa coalition, and he says President Uhuru Kenyatta is a despot.
The nomination exposed rifts in Jubilee Party, with some rejecting the candidate and saying he will not become DG. On Friday, MCAs denied claims of a plot to impeach Sonko.
TRUCE
Elachi called for a truce between the national and county governments and alluded to the former’s lack of respect for agreement on how the two levels should work.
Blaming ‘tenderprenuers’ for fierce fights in the city, the Speaker asked the national government to respect the Constitution that gives Sonko powers to run Nairobi independently.
“Even if you want the tenders, they can’t come this time. Wait for them after July and when the Governor has done pre-qualification,” she said.
The Speaker asked the President, who has remained mum in the Sonko-Miguna matter, to mediate.
Elachi said that if the national government is fighting Sonko because of county functions, Uhuru should bring a Memorandum of Understanding before the Assembly for ratification.
“We can then agree on the way forward,” she said. “We have had enough between the Governor and the Secretary. Uhuru should now intervene and end the fight between Sonko and senior officials within government.”
Interior PS Karanja Kibicho, who is in charge of the security docket, has recently been accused by the Governor of being at the centre of a plot to sink him politically.
Sonko’s security detail was scaled-down to five and he blamed Kibicho. Kibicho rubbished the claims.
The Governor said he had retreated to his home in Machakos County as his security is not guaranteed.
Elachi also said the Nairobi chief should not be castigated for underperforming, but be given up to September before being rated.
Waithaka MCA and Planning committee chairman Antony Karanja said Nairobi cannot be compared to other counties so it should be more guarded and secure.
Karanja added that special consideration should be given to Governors and other dignitaries, where security is concerned.
“Kibicho should apologise for the sabotage. It is uncalled for. Lives should be respected. Sonko has fought many cartels … his security must be increased.”
