Multi-millionaires among nominees for Sakaja team

CeC nominee for Urban Planning Stephen Mwangi takes an oath before vetting on Monday. [Samson Wire, Standard]

The vetting of the Nairobi County Executive Committee (CEC) nominees has revealed the multi-millionaires in their ranks.

Governor Johnson Sakaja's 10-member picks had been stopped from undergoing the exercise after a dissenting group moved to court, claiming the list was not inclusive.

Some of the nominees declared to the Committee on Appointments that they were worth millions of shillings.

First to be screened was Stephen Mwangi, who has been nominated CEC for Built Environment and Urban Planning.

Mr Mwangi said his net worth was Sh600 million from assets comprising his survey firm, rental property and salary from his 40-year career as an officer of the defunct Nairobi City Council.

"Most of my money comes from my survey company and rentals that I invested in," he told the panel.

Mr Mwangi disclosed that for the years that he had served at the council, he was on contract and not permanent and pensionable terms.

He said if approved, he would tackle land-grabbing, claiming that politicians were notorious for unlawful occupation of people's property.

On the issue of buildings collapsing due to poor workmanship and use of substandard materials, the nominee said he would prioritise civic education on the importance of approvals before embarking on construction.

The ICT CEC under Mike Sonko's administration, Charles Kerich, who has been nominated for the Finance docket, was put to task to explain how the county would boost nose-diving revenue collection.

Mr Kerich said there was a need to control money going out and ring-fence all collection avenues. He estimated his net worth at Sh120 million in immovable and movable assets.

Mr Michael Gumo, the nominee for Innovation and Digital Economy, was at pains to explain that his nomination was not politically influenced. He is the son of veteran politician and former Cabinet minister Fred Gumo.

Gumo, who said he is worth about Sh50 million, said he would use his ICT experience to find solutions for some of the city's problems.