Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and Nairobi Metropolitan Services General Mohamed Badi are set to meet for the first time ever and settle scores in a sit down with an arbitrator.
The duo has been engaging in a war of words which has also culminated into a fight for projects, control of Nairobi County Assembly and the city.
Their issue was forwarded to the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC) for arbitration.
On Thursday, August 6, IGRTC acting Chairperson John Burugu affirmed that the two would sit down to discuss the issue which is affecting the delivery of services in Nairobi.
Discussions are ongoing on the official date the two will face each other, in what is expected to be a difficult meeting as the two are hell-bent on securing power and driving their agenda in the county.
“I am aware that a notice of declaration of the dispute by the Nairobi governor over the city operations has been referred to our committee, but it is something that I wouldn’t want to talk about now because consultations with the Summit and Council of Governors are ongoing,” Burugu detailed.
Mediators will include the Attorney General, IGRTC, Council of Governors, a team from NMS and the Nairobi City County Government team.
While launching an outpatient facility at the Mbagathi hospital on Friday, August 7, Sonko urged NMS to maintain the good standards of health facilities which he initiated over the last three years. He insisted that NMS should work closely with Nairobi County in delivery of services.
This decision to have the two meet came a day after Badi was summoned by President Uhuru Kenyatta to explain the ongoing tussle while Sonko turned to Raila Odinga, Orange Democratic Movement leader, for help.
Sonko also asked Chief Justice David Maraga and the Senate to maximise the Judiciary's experience and help restore sanity to the county.
"My humble appeal now goes to the Honourable Chief Justice, the Senate and Raila Odinga as great defenders of devolution in this country. We need your urgent intervention and rich wisdom in this crisis before the county cripples down and is taken away by selfish individuals,” Sonko appealed.
The governor stated that he wanted to withdraw the transfer of deeds which saw him hand over key duties to the National Government in February 2020.
