Defiant Sonko now rules out dialogue with Igathe

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko may not reconcile with his deputy Polycarp Igathe after all.

Speaking for the first time on Monday since Mr Igathe tendered his resignation last Friday, Sonko remained non-committal on the matter but said he was capable of driving the county’s agenda without his estranged deputy.

Sonko said the differences between him and his deputy were no longer a Jubilee Party affair as they affected all Nairobi residents.

“Dialogue over what?” Sonko said when asked whether he would hold talks with Igathe over the differences that led to the resignation.

“Currently, I have a competent team of technocrats, including professors, who I’m working with. I have no fear or doubt that my team will fulfil the promises I made to the Nairobi people," said Sonko in Mombasa.

Factions fighting

He also dismissed as hearsay reports that his differences with Igathe were fuelled by factions fighting over tenders or the control of the county.

“I'm ready to talk to my party, all Nairobi MPs and leaders but this matter is not about Jubilee," said Sonko.

The governor noted that he was not distracted by 'sideshows' but was committed to serving Nairobi residents. He also said he had gone to court to block payments owed by the former county government led by Evans Kidero.

County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi has called for dialogue between Sonko and Igathe and urged the Senate to step in and arbitrate the stalemate.

"If the President and the deputy are working together, who are these saying they cannot work with one another? The governor and his deputy should stop listening to people telling them what to do and remain focused on service delivery," she said.

Ms Elachi emphasised the county could not do without the national government and told off critics complaining about State House's interference in the running of county affairs.

"You cannot work without the national government because then you will achieve zero. Nairobi is part of the national government, seeing that it generates 60 per cent of the GDP," Elachi said.

Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria have also been pushing the Jubilee leadership to step in and reconcile Sonko and Igathe.

Mr Sakaja promised that the matter would be addressed.

Meanwhile, Sonko’s government has invited a legal fight against contractors by filing a suit seeking to block any payments for services rendered to it for six months.

The county went to court claiming it could not pay contractors the Sh60 billion owed to them without ascertaining that they were legitimate claims.

Internal audit

According to the county government's lawyer Elias Mutuma, the county requires at least six months for an internal audit before paying contractors.

Sonko admitted that the county was cash-strapped owing to debts inherited from his predecessors.

In the court papers, he claimed his government could barely meet its monthly obligations and also settle debts accrued over the years.

Sonko seemed buoyed by the fact that a number of MCAs had thrown their weight behind him and suggested Igathe’s resignation was fuelled by "outside forces" keen to control his administration.

Led by Deputy Speaker John Kamau and nominated MCA Leah Naikanae, the MCAs vowed to reject attempts to undermine Sonko.

“We are aware of the actors that want to undermine you (Sonko). As MCAs, we’ll all back you and your decision in light of what has transpired,” said Ms Naikanae

“We are ready to support any proposal the governor puts forward. It will not deter the governor’s agenda for the Nairobi people,” added Mr Kamau.

The governor expressed optimism that Igathe's resignation would not affect his agenda for Nairobi.