Nairobi in leadership crisis,Uhuru needs to step in now
Nairobi is facing serious leadership crisis and requires urgent intervention. We cannot afford to be indifferent and impassive when the city is on autopilot and hurtling down the cliff. It is just a matter of time before things grind to a halt unless drastic measures are taken to save the city.
Nairobi is the seat of government and regional economic hub. It is one of the few cities in the world that hosts United Nations offices. But it is rudderless. The county government and the assembly are dysfunctional, careering from one disaster to another.
Governor Mike Sonko was a mistake right from the beginning. He lacks the aptitude, temperament and civility to lead a modern metropolis. Now he spends time shuttling from one investigative office to another over impropriety, ranging from his criminal past to pilferage at City Hall. Last week, he was summoned by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to answer to charges of falsifying his records prior to contesting the governor’s seat in 2017. In August, he was questioned over irregular award of a Sh357 million garbage tender.
Institutionally, City Hall has no functional executive. Mr Sonko has never appointed a Deputy Governor since the resignation of Polycarp Igathe nearly two years ago. Further, he has sacked or forced out more than half of the county executive committee members and top administrative officials. What this means is that the county government cannot function effectively. Practically, the county government has become a one-man show where Mr Sonko rules by fiat and brooks no dissent. Critics are harassed and pulverised by hired goons.
The County Assembly is a veritable hub of chaos. Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi has literally been locked out of office for nearly two years by Members of County Assembly. She has had to fight every day to get back to office and despite court orders, she cannot operate at the Assembly. On their own, MCAs are permanently engaged in combat and the Assembly leaders cannot agree on anything. No legislative function is taking place at the Assembly. So here is a capital of East Africa’s leading economy that is paralysed because of ineptitude and jungle rule. Should anything untoward happen to Mr Sonko then the city will be thrown into a constitutional and administrative catastrophe.
Yet the central government and the national leadership seems oblivious of the goings-on. Although the Constitution separates powers of the central and county governments, it does not mean that the national leadership cannot intervene when things get out of hand as they are now. Mr Sonko should be compelled to appoint a deputy and executive committee members.
Source-nation.co.ke
