Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko is set to permanently lose four key roles to Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) under General Mohamed Badi in a proposal highlighted under the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report presented to President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday, October 21.
In February 2020, Sonko surrendered Health, Transport, Public works and Planning and Development Services to the National Government.
The state wants NMS to permanently take over the four roles alongside Firefighting Services and Disaster Management, with Nairobi County running under the National Government.
The deed of transfer Clause 9 states that the deal is in effect for two years (24 months) before the two parties consider renewing.
This means that discussions on renewing the deed would be held in February 2022, a few months before Kenyatta retires and Sonko's term as governor ends.
In the agreement, Sonko had been given the power to request for a withdrawal from the deed, a move which he attempted but backfired as the court ruled that the agreement is legal.
Justice Hellen Wasilwa noted that NMS had demonstrated the involvement of the Nairobi County Assembly in the transfer of functions to the National Government. Following the ruling, the governor filed a notice of appeal to protest a court ruling that recognised NMS as a legally constituted entity.
The county boss vowed to continue challenging the constitutionality of NMS maintaining that it was illegally constituted despite having himself signed the deed of transfer at State House.
Sonko has accused the state of frustrating him and even went ahead to launch attacks against Kenyatta and Badi in October 2020.
These developments raise questions over whether he will support the BBI which he had previously backed. On Thursday, October 15, Sonko had planned to join Deputy President William Ruto in a tour of Nyamira County. Ruto has raised questions on the BBI report with his allies clearly indicating that they would reject it.
The war between Sonko and NMS Badi will escalate upon the adoption of the proposals targeting Nairobi County. Sonko recently declined to sign the Ksh 37 billion Nairobi City County Appropriation Bill 2020.
"In my Memorandum to the Speaker of the County Assembly, I have outlined in detail illegalities and inconsistencies contained in the Budget that was presented by cartels from State House, Harambee House and the Nairobi Metropolitan Services at the last minute, swapping it with the original Budget Proposals," he lamented.
Back in April 2020, the governor declined to assent to a bill allocating more than Sh15 billion to the NMS. Sonko referred the Nairobi County Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2020 back to the county assembly, claiming amendments in it contravened provisions of the law.
On its part, the NMS launched an infrastructural project aimed at rehabilitating roads. Roads in the city were recarpeted and pedestrian walkways and cycle lanes were constructed.
Badi also unveiled several projects he had completed within 100 days, listing supply of water as a key factor. It sunk 93 boreholes across all informal settlements across the city and purchase of an additional 20 water bowsers to enhance water distribution, recovered contested public land earmarked for waste management, increased the collection of garbage from 1000 tons a day to 3000 tons and completion of 1.2 Km Grogan road.
