Sonko on the Hook for Ksh15 Billion Owed to NMS

A photo of Nairobi Metropolitan Services boss Major General Mohamed Badi (left) and Governor Mike Sonko.
Nairobi Metropolitan Services boss Major General Mohamed Badi (left) and Governor Mike Sonko.
Daily Nation

Thursday, April 16 is the deadline set for Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko to hand over Ksh15 billion to General Mohammed Badi and his team.

The money in question was allocated to the Nairobi Metropolitan Services by the County Assembly of Nairobi on April 2, 2020.

A report by the Standard confirmed that Sonko had been alerted of the allocation of the funds through the Nairobi City County Supplementary Appropriations Bill but had yet to assent to the bill.

Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko and Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa in concurrence with H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta, signed an agreement, handing over functions of the Nairobi County Government to the National Government on Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko and Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa in concurrence with H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta, signed an agreement, handing over functions of the Nairobi County Government to the National Government on Tuesday, February 25, 2020
PSCU

Robert Mbatia, the Chair of the Finance, Budget and Appropriations Committee provided that Thursday would be the day the 14 prescribed days lapse before the bill came into law.

He, however, noted that they had received information that Sonko wished to make some amendments to the bill but that they had yet to receive a copy of the proposed changes.

The Ksh 15 billion formed nearly half of City Hall's Ksh 36.9 billion Budget for the 2019/2020 financial year.

To free up the funds, the county budget was significantly adjusted with Ksh203 million slashed from the office of the Governor and the Deputy

Of this, 98 million was cut from the budget of administration and support services under the office of the governor and his deputy.

Similarly, another Ksh 40 million was trimmed from the security and safety management programme. 

Major General Mohammed Badi Ali (2nd from left, in military fatigue) looks on as former KAF Commander Maj Gen Joff Otieno hands over the service flag to the incoming commander Maj Gen Samuel Thuita in July 2014
Major General Mohammed Badi Ali (2nd from left, in military fatigue) looks on as former KAF Commander Maj Gen Joff Otieno hands over the service flag to the incoming commander Maj Gen Samuel Thuita in July 2014
File
Ministry of Defence

As of March 17, Sonko signed the handover bill that transferred four key dockets to the Nairobi Metropolitan Service under General Mohammed Badi.

The four are Health, Planning and Development, Transport, Public Works and Ancillary Services.

The handover has not been without its share of turbulence with Sonko expressing his displeasure over the implementation of the Deed of Transfer and Functions.

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