Update: Anne Kananu was unanimously approved as the Nairobi County Deputy Governor after MCAs successfully vetted her.
Kananu was sworn in as Deputy Governor on the very same day, Friday, January 15, paving way for her ascension to the Governor's role.
Her approval set the stage for fierce battles regarding the legality of the vetting process, the fate of the Nairobi Gubernatorial by-election and the term of Acting Governor Benson Mutura (the County Speaker). Mutura was to hold the seat for 60 days prior to the by-election.
It was a record speed as the Nairobi County Assembly MCAs vetted politician Anne Kananu Mwenda for the position of Deputy Governor, a day after the High Court dismissed applications challenging her nomination.
The exercise conducted on Friday, January 15, was seemingly aligned with the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) and whether Kananu would conform to the project and the ruling party Jubilee.
MCAs hastened the process, concluding it at around 10.10 am - less than two hours after it had started. They took a break to prepare a report which they announced would be tabled at 11 am, just fifty minutes after adjournment.
Kananu disowned Sonko when the committee sought answers on her friendship with the impeached politician.
"My relationship with the former governor was work-related. The Disaster Management docket I held at City Hall required regular consultation with the governor.
"I was nominated through merits and he even attempted to revoke my nomination," Kananu defended herself, pulling the last card that would maybe see her succeed Sonko.
MCAs aligned with President Uhuru Kenyatta ensured sought to find out whether Kananu would bow down to the Jubilee doctrine or not and if she held the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) in high regards.
She acknowledged that NMS was changing the face of Nairobi and assured the MCAs that she would work in tandem with General Mohamed Badi's agency to provide key services to Nairobi residents.
Kananu said that the city's growth is hindered by political interference, cartels and a few MCAs who lack work ethics.
"Going forward, we need to analyse why we county officials are not providing services to our residents. I promise that I will work to make key changes. I will uphold teamwork and will also use dialogue to solve major issues we face," she said.
The Deputy Governor nominee asked the MCAs and other politicians to offer her a favourable working environment and allow her to nominate her assistant if she ascends to the Governor's role owing to the vacancy in the post.
If voted in as Deputy Governor, the much anticipated Nairobi by-election will be thrown into disarray. Candidates were hopeful that they would be voted by area residents to succeed Sonko who was ousted in December 2020. Deputy President William Ruto backed former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru for the post.
