Nairobi UDA ward reps accuse Sakaja of favouring rival Azimio

Jubilee party MCAS led by Minority leader Anthony Kiragu and Minority Whip Mark Mugambi at Cityhall on Friday December 23, 2022. [Samson Wire, Standard]

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is in trouble over the selection and vetting of Chief Officers.

UDA Ward Reps accused Governor Sakaja of being a lone ranger and favouring Azimio.

"Sakaja used the UDA ticket to seek votes for the seat and if he says he was elected by city residents, let him relinquish the seat and vie on an independent ticket," said Minority leader Anthony Kiragu.

"During the vetting of Chief Officers, a person of questionable character was vetted," Kiragu added.

The minority leader explained that the chief officer nominee was captured during the vote tallying at Bomas of Kenya causing chaos thus she was not suitable for the job.

"What the governor is doing is not okay and we as a party are not happy, we represent the people on the ground and they have told us what you are doing is not good," Kiragu added.

"We are also not behind what the deputy president said but he is correct because people vote along tribal lines and we had a lot of work convincing our community to vote for Sakaja."

Over the weekend, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said he played a big role in convincing voters from Mount Kenya to support Sakaja.

"What we are saying is let there be more constitutive approaches in management of the city so that we are all able to deliver as per our manifesto.

"The said Chief officer whom they're trying to sneak in is not the face of Nairobi but face of anarchy and chaos," said Kiragu. House Minority whip Mark Mugambi also weighed in on the matter.

"We passed the CEC'S without any issues because those who appeared before the assembly met all the qualifications. What we have a problem with is a chief officer who even did not meet the deadline of submitting documents and is not qualified," said Mugambi.

This not the first matter that has caused friction in the party.

The ward reps also accused Sakaja of favouring Azimio by picking some nominees who had supported Azimio leader Raila Odinga in the elections. The Azimio coalition is the majority at the assembly with 67 MCAs while Kenya Kwanza has 53 MCAs. Three MCAs were elected as independents.

But the UDA wing says they have the numbers just in case there will be a crucial move that requires voting in the floor of the assembly.

The spat between the DP and Sakaja is linked to a recent move by the county to move matatus operating long distance to the Green Park Terminus.

"Some decisions that he makes are likely to spoil businesses in Nairobi, we must sit with him and agree on them," Gachagua stated.

"We don't want to move with speed like in the matatu case, that is not possible, I don't want to disturb the traders," the DP added.