The National Assembly speaker Moses Wetangula has directed the Committee on Administration and National Security to summon the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, to explain why no action had been taken against Nairobi County officials who dumped waste at Stima Plaza.
Speaking on Wednesday during a House proceeding, Wetangula stated that the behaviour portrayed by the County Government was criminal and thus needed to be dealt with appropriately.
"Tongoyo, we shall not allow this country to be reduced to the wild west behaviour where you disagree with somebody and you send out goons and hooligans to go and sort out your mess. That is not Kenya and you must stop it," Wetangula stated.
"So I direct you to summon the IG to find out why no other action has been taken against this publicised criminal behaviour by the city government of Nairobi."
Wetangula was commenting on Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwa's proposal to have those who dumped waste and garbage at the Kenya Power offices face criminal culpability.
"I ask the Inspector General of Police to make sure that action is taken against those people who dumped waste at Stima Plaza," Ichung'wah stated.
"I also want to encourage the business people who I have seen crying on national TV that they have restaurants that they have closed down because nobody can patronise their restaurants, they must take civil action against the county government of Nairobi for compensation of lost business."
The heated debate was brought to parliament following a tense clash between the Nairobi County Government and Kenya Power that lasted two days.
Ultimately, Wetangula announced that the IG would be summoned next week to issue a way forward on up to ten criminal offenses committed by the County Government.
"We are going to summon the Inspector General to appear before the committee next week. There are clear criminal offenses committed not just under the nuisance law, but also under environmental law, the Health Act, the Penal Code, and several other Acts of Parliament. In fact, you can identify up to ten criminal violations arising from that single act," he announced.
On Monday, sewage waste was spilled outside the Kenya Power offices at Stima Plaza and quickly escalated to dumping of garbage in a retaliatory attack by the Nairobi County Government reportedly over unpaid bills.
According to Kenya Power, the stand-off began after they decided to disconnect power at several Nairobi County offices due to an outstanding electricity bill amounting to Ksh3.1 billion.
However, on Wednesday, February 26, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja announced that a truce had been made between the two institutions after a meeting with the Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi.
"We've had a fruitful meeting with the leadership of the Ministry of Energy, the Head of Public Service, and other officers, and we agreed on several issues. A joint statement will be issued to clarify the matters we have resolved," Sakaja said after the meeting.
"The first thing we have resolved is that all hostilities must end, and issues should be sorted amicably. We have given instructions for water to be supplied and for the trucks to be removed."
