Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja's absence at Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment trial on Wednesday raised eyebrows. Still, Kenyans.co.ke can now reveal that the governor was attending a high-profile event in Mexico.
Sakaja, expected to be a key witness in the Senate trial, was listed by Senate Speaker Amason Kingi among the National Assembly's witnesses. However, he was nowhere near Parliament when the session kicked off on Wednesday, October 16.
Sakaja was in Mexico City for the Bloomberg CityLab 2024 summit, where he featured as one of the keynote speakers. An event schedule indicated that the Nairobi Governor joined discussions on urban governance, highlighting the role of youth in shaping city policies.
"Later today, Bloomberg CityLab reporter Fola Akinnibi will join Governor H.E. Sakaja Arthur Johnson of Nairobi, Kenya, to talk about what cities can learn from putting young people at the heart of decision-making," the event programme read.
His absence from the Senate hearing caught many by surprise, including Gachagua's lawyer Ndegwa Njiru, who took to X social media platform to express his anticipation of cross-examining Sakaja. The Nairobi Governor was expected to shed light on accusations levelled against the Deputy President, which form the basis of an impeachment motion tabled by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse.
Sakaja had submitted an affidavit accusing Gachagua of unlawfully interfering with Nairobi County's operations, including the relocation of traders from Wakulima Market to Kangundo Road Market. According to the affidavit, the Deputy President allegedly "violated the principle of separation of powers" by holding rallies that incited the public against lawful county decisions.
Moreover, Sakaja accused Gachagua of using ethnic sentiments to disrupt efforts to reorganise traffic within Nairobi, particularly in relocating matatu terminals. He argued that such actions undermined the county government's mandate and questioned the integrity of devolution in Kenya.
A snippet posted by Bloomberg later in the day showed Sakaja sharing insights about Nairobi's subsidised meals programme, a topic far removed from the heated discussions taking place at the Senate. His absence fuelled speculation about whether he had intentionally withdrawn from the trial to avoid escalating political tensions.
Kenyans.co.ke has learnt that Sakaja’s participation in the summit had been planned in advance, potentially indicating that his withdrawal as a witness was not last-minute. However, the timing of the trip sparked questions about whether there were other reasons behind his decision not to testify.
Sakaja’s affidavit also criticised Gachagua's alleged meddling in county functions, specifically in liquor control regulation. He labelled the Deputy President's actions as "reckless" and "demeaning," adding that they amounted to impeachable offences by eroding the authority of county governments.
