Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko's absence during President Uhuru Kenyatta's national briefing at State House, Nairobi, on April 25,has raised several concerns over the current state of affairs in the capital.
The president had invited governors from counties that were hard-hit by the coronavirus to his residence, as he went on to announce the extension fo the dusk-to-dawn curfew for a further 21 days, as well as the extension cessation of movement order for a similar period.
Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan joho, Kwale's Salim Mvurya, and their Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi were all present, but Nairobi remained curiously unrepresented.
The newly appointed Nairobi Metropolitan Services director-general Mohammed Badi, was also not present as the president allowed each of the county leaders to address the nation.
On his part, Sonko had on Wednesday, April 22, threatened to pull out of the deal with the national governement, citing frustrations as his key reason.
“I am starting the process of terminating the deed, just like any other ordinary contract. I will personally go to court to have it terminated,” he said, going on to warn that he would only reconsider his move if officers (he did not name them) from president Uhuru's office stopped frustrating him.
"Some greedy officers in the government, especially the ones who hate me, have hijacked the process to embarrass and frustrate me," he elaborated.
The latest move by the president further fuels the rumoured rift between the national government and the embattled governor.
Governor Joho, who addressed the nation from the president's podium, urged Kenyans to exercise responsibility.
"There is that much that your government is doing and will keep doing, but the truth of the matter is that if you looked at countries around the world, you will realize that 90% of the responsibility lies with you," he stated.
"Our people may need a decision that calls for the addition of tougher measures. The most hurt will be the citizens, but they are also the ones with the solutions if they follow expert regulations," he added.
His sentiments were echoed by his Kilifi and Kwale counterparts, who were also granted the rare honour of addressing the nation from the presidential podium.
However, Sonko's absence could not be ignored, bearing in mind that Nairobi not only leads in the total number of confirmed cases, but also ranks highest in the risk scale.
