MCAs accuse Badi of ‘occupying’ former mayor’s residence

Nairobi Metropolitan Services boss Mohamed Badi has come under sharp criticism by a section of city MCAs accusing him of overstepping his mandate.

The ward reps are accusing the Major General of interfering with the city’s politics and acting in contravention of the deed of transfer of agreement that saw the national Government take over four county functions namely health, transport, and public works and planning.

Led by Assembly majority leader Abdi Guyo (pictured above), the ward legislators called on Badi to stick to his function as assigned by the head of state. They urged him to desist from “creating unnecessary tension” in the county.

“We respect the Director-General and his outfit but we urge him to concentrate on his assigned functions that were transferred to the National Government and stop interfering with Nairobi politics,” said Guyo.

The majority leader said that Badi was driving a wedge between city leaders and further faulted him for taking over the former mayor’s official residence in the leafy suburb of Lavington. The house is located along Isaac Gathanju road but is owned by the Nairobi County Government.

“What we know as the assembly is that the former mayor’s house is supposed to be the official residence of the Governor. The Director-General can therefore not claim that the house is property of NMS,” added Guyo.

This comes just hours after Badi reportedly visited the five-bedroom house in Lavington and stated that it was now under the authority of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) since the function of Planning and Housing was transferred to the National Government.

The development further comes just two days after Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, through his social media accounts announced that he had re-possessed the house from “land grabbers” and that it was set to be the Governor’s official residence.

 “Today, I have taken possession of the Governor’s Official residence in Lavington, Nairobi. The residence was returned to the Nairobi City County Government by the EACC following its recovery after it had been grabbed,” read a Facebook post by Governor on Tuesday.

Sonko reiterated that since the Governors were equivalent to mayors under the defunct system of Governance, the house should henceforth be occupied by all elected Nairobi Governors.

MCAs have also come to the defence of Sonko, saying that Badi’s claim that he had taken over the house amounted to politics.

“The Governor recently went to the house and directed that it be renovated so it can serve as his official residence. Mr Badi earlier today went there and claimed that the house is under NMS. We do not agree with this because it is the residence of the Governor and it is not grabbed,” said Guyo.

The lavish house is, however, no stranger to controversy. In 2018, the Nairobi County Assembly announced plans to renovate the house in order for it to house Speaker Beatrice Elachi.

The city assembly service board had said that it had resorted to the plan due to budgetary constraints since the assembly had no funds to build a mansion for the speaker as earlier planned and directed by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

The intent to refurbish the house led to the eviction of Anne Lokidor who previously served under the former Governor Evans Kidero as the ICT executive since the year 2013. She had however been living in the former Mayors residence since the year 2016, paying a rental fee of Sh35, 000.