Why city's leadership crisis is killing its soul

Nairobi County is more than just County Number 47 and for various reasons.

First, by virtue of being the capital city of Kenya, Nairobi not only hosts the county government, it also houses the entire country’s political seat of power and other significant administrative organs that breathe life into our country.

Nairobi is home to the headquarters of many State offices and all arms of government.

Besides, the city is also home to over 100 major international companies and organisations, thousands of businesses, all of which require a conducive environment to run smoothly.

Currently, Nairobi is residence to a growing population of close to 4.4 million people who deserve crucial services to live and work in the city. In the regional and international arena, Nairobi’s geographical location bestows on it strategic advantages that confer Kenya an edge over her neighbours.

That’s why Kenya is considered the gateway to the rest of Africa.

Nairobi’s clout in the region, therefore, cannot be gainsaid. Given its endowments and unique attributes, Nairobi ought to project an image consistent with its primacy of place.

It should adopt a posture that attracts diverse political and economic interests both from within and outside without losing its identity and lustre.

Equally, as Kenya’s political centrepiece, Nairobi needs to cultivate a mien that communicates stability. To inspire confidence in Nairobi’s stability, its leadership ought to be sober and stable.

While meeting its local, regional and international obligations, the city also needs to meet its county obligations. Ideally, the county leadership needs to be cognisant of the strategic position Nairobi holds, and be able to manage the different roles that define its heartbeat and personality.

Political wrangles

However, the truth is that endless political wrangles and confusion end up hampering service delivery with its top leadership seeming oblivious of the solemn duty of propagating and protecting the soul of Kenya’s capital.

Admittedly, the city’s image is severely dented when street circus plays out all the way from downtown to the corridors of City Hall giving media fodder for sassy but disheartening news.

Nairobi’s circus morphed into extreme melodrama after Polycarp Igathe resigned in a huff as deputy governor in January 2018. Since then, the governor has operated without a deputy and run the city down the ignominious path.

What’s more, several county executive positions remain vacant as supremacy battles, political grandstanding and populist theatrics sap the energy that should otherwise be diverted to regenerating the city, fixing roads, providing dignified housing and ensuring the people living and working in Nairobi are safe.

Big question

The standoff between key county leaders has led to a standstill, affecting the implementation of county services and bringing to a halt important projects that need county approvals.

What makes it worse is that Governor Mike Sonko is now under investigation by the EACC over corruption allegations.

The big question is; what will happen if he is charged? Granted, the governor is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Even then, High Court Judge Mumbi Ngugi set the precedence for similar cases when she ruled that governors charged with corruption should stay away from office and allow their deputies to take over their roles.

Without a deputy, Nairobi would be thrust into a political limbo if the governor were to be adjudged guilty. Could Nairobi be staring at an impending crisis should the governor be required to stay away from office?

Granted, Article 182 (4) of our Constitution provides for a scenario where both county governor and deputy governor are not in office. However, given the precedence set by similar cases facing governors, if Sonko is charged in court, what options do the people of Nairobi have?

As legal heads mull over the options available in case of such an eventuality, the people of Nairobi remain shortchanged with regard to accessing the quality services they deserve.

What happens to our status as a geopolitical powerhouse when the governor of the capital is shoved aside by the law?

All is not lost though. In the spirit of the recently launched Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report, it is possible to institute administrative and legislative measures that would effectively ensure that Nairobi is rescued from its misery.

We are presented with an opportune moment to think critically about our choices as voters, Nairobians and Kenyans and the collective ridicule that we are now facing as residents of Nairobi and as a country. It is time to mine opportunities that BBI offer to fix our ailing city without resorting to a referendum.

Ms Kagure is a Nairobi businesswoman