SMS exchange expose uneasy Sonko, Igathe relations

Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi and his deputy Polycarp Igathe

 

Nairobi Deputy Governor Polycarp Igathe cuts the image of a solemn no-nonsense executive fired wholly by high-end corporate values.

But in Governor Mike Sonko, it appears he has a boss to fear, and is enthusiastic to please.

In an archetypal Sonko act, the governor published several private messages between him and his deputy purportedly showing them to be in good books with each other.

Instead, the communications exposed a somewhat unbalanced relationship where commerce is subservient to politics.

Throughout the cache, Igathe seems to have a penchant for missing his boss’s calls. For some reason, he seems to prefer texting him to calling him back.

“Dead asleep’

“Million apologies. Was dead asleep and missed your call,” he moans on November 5. Three days later on November 8 and as in several other instances, he’s oozing similar regrets:

“I retired to bed way early last night. Just noticed missed calls last night. Pray all is well. I am en route to the office. And apology for missing your call boss.”

In contrast to his earnest elucidations, Sonko rejoins in monosyllables of “ok”, emblematic of a real boss.

From the texts, we can tell that Igathe suffers the same affliction ordinary people suffer in terms of grabbing attention of the governor. On November 25, a week after the burial of former Nyeri Governor Wahome Gakuru, the DG texts his boss to inform him that the new Governor Mutahi Kahiga was looking for him.

The boss does not respond, at least not on text. The following day, Igathe texts Sonko early in the morning to ask whether he would make it for the flag-off of the annual Standard Chartered Marathon. Sonko responds to say if he doesn’t make it on time, he should represent him.

“I am here bro. Am running too,” Igathe responds to his boss who then goes mute until later in the day when Igathe informs him that he would be leaving for Indonesia.

On the actual burial of the former governor on November 18, Igathe had to alert his boss that he was in attendance: “Seated behind you to your left boss. Good to see you here. Igathe.”

This appears not to have been enough or grabbed attention of the big man. He fired another one a minute later and in different words: “Seated a row behind you. Good to see you,” to which the big man obliged in a single word: “Perfect.”

On December 11, the day President Uhuru Kenyatta visited City Hall, Igathe appears to have grown apprehensive of the absence of his boss before the visit. At 12:06pm, he texted his boss: “Call bro, H.E is on the way.” Sonko calmed him down: “He’s coming at 2pm” to which Igathe submitted, “Ok Sir”. At 2:03pm, he texted again: “Your excellency, are you almost here? With CS Mucheru..”

His promise of doing the management while his boss does the politics falls apart when placed on the pyre of those SMS’s. In one instant, he informs Sonko that a certain architect is trying to reach him over the Avic Project.

Errand boys?

In the same thread, he informs his boss that architects are all over his case over the project but he was shaking them off by telling them that he (the governor) was handling it.

“We can handle together,” Sonko ropes him in.

From the texts, one gets the same uneasy feel that Governors still look at their deputies as mere errand boys.

And Igathe seems to be either comfortable with it or unwilling to rock the boat this early.

On November 22, Igathe lands in Sonko’s dazzling home in Mua Hills to find the owner who invited him is a no show. Overlooking the Maanzoni plains, he fires a gritty text: “Arrived in Mua, or do I come to Machakos?”

Sonko simply retorts: “Come to Maanzoni Lodge.”

Other times he’s out rightly ignored but he does not give up. Same feel when Igathe informs him he’s due to appear on Citizen TV for an interview.

“If they ask about Lilian Towers acquisition tell them those are allegations and in any case if they are true there’s nothing wrong with a politician /leader to acquire a property anywhere in Kenya provided he’s not using public funds.

Again, Igathe delightedly approves.

On December 5, he apprises Sonko of a situation where an individual who ran on an Opposition ticket continued to chair a public hospital. He asked for his approval to have the irregularity fixed.

He never did, at least not on text.

The next communication from the Governor is a reminder, two days later, of a court matter due for that day.

Similar eerie silence greets Igathe’s brief of the proposed programme for President Kenyatta’s visit to City Hall

In other instances, Igathe gets into the murk of City Hall filth, the dubious payment system where contractors have to beg for payment or throw some weight to impress steely bureaucrats.

“Your Excellency, request these market contractors to get paid. I visited the projects and if paid they can be completed before end of year for your launch.” In a separate occasion, he presses on: “Your excellency, I beg that we pay markets and ICT contractors so work commences.” His justification is enticing: “This work will have immediate effect feel good factor. World Bank mission (president of World Bank) is in Nairobi and they will pay you a courtesy call. They have put 330 million dollars into this. They need us to do our part.”

Although Sonko obliged with a monosyllabic “done” for a response, Igathe was not convinced. He ploughed on: “Thank you boss. Send message to CEC Finance to effect. Want you to commission projects first week Dec so we silence the people talking  about  the  100  days  achievement.

In  other  instances , the Nkubu High School alumni informs his boss that he is dining with Indonesia’s number one domestic manufacturing investor William Katuari.

He doesn’t waste the space before telling him that Katuari’s Wing Group businesses annual turnover is equivalent to 40 per cent of Kenya’s GDP. Attaching loads of grainy photos of himself and the business mogul, he signs away his psalms: “He cannot wait to invest in Nairobi City County under the wise leadership of my boss H.E Mike Mbuvi Kioko Sonko wa Kivanguli.”

In total, the Governor published 23 screenshots of his communications with his DG. In the communications, the DG, an avowed “Mkenya Daima” enthusiast is doing 90 per cent of the talk.

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