A day after Beatrice Elachi announced her resignation as speaker of the Nairobi County Assembly on Tuesday, August 11, new details have surfaced on the behind-the-scenes intrigues that characterized the decision.
Sources at State House and the Ministry of Interior who spoke to journalists claimed that Elachi received a late night phone call pushing for her resignation.
Despite initially resisting the idea and threatening a legal challenge if she was ousted, Elachi reportedly accepted to step down after being promised a government appointment.
She had raised eyebrows when she tendered her resignation to President Uhuru Kenyatta despite being elected by MCAs. Uhuru was said to be keen on bringing an end to leadership wrangles in the county to allow the recently formed Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) to carry out its mandate.
Elachi herself had expressed confidence that the NMS led by General Mohammed Badi was capable of leading Nairobi after her exit. The President was said to be concerned about the wrangles pitting Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko against Elachi and NMS.
“It is State House that made the decision and she was told that it has to be that way. It was not a decision made out of her own volition.
"When she became adamant and threatened to go to court, the plan was disclosed to her and she was told that there was no need because she would be given a government post,” one source told reporters.
Elachi had, however, asserted that her resignation was voluntary, claiming her life was in danger due to the deteriorating situation.
“Today I humbly relinquish my position as the Speaker of Nairobi. I want to thank the President for giving me the opportunity to serve for the past three years.
"Now we have NMS and I think it will be able to transform the city. Because I wouldn’t want someone to die here because of myself or anything else, let me thank him (Uhuru) for the opportunity and just leave,” she stated.
Multiple reports allege that a meeting involving 41 Jubilee MCAs and President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi is where Elachi's fate was sealed.
The meeting was not attended by Elachi or her allies, and her rivalry with MCAs including Majority Leader Abdi Guyo played out at the forum.
Roysambu MCA Peter Warutere, who was present at the meeting, disclosed that they told the President of their broken-down working relationship with Elachi.
"We spoke with the President and he listened to us and acted accordingly. There are claims Elachi did not follow due process in tendering her resignation, but we will impeach her even if she has resigned to ensure she has no loophole to come back," he maintained.
