Gen Badi's Stern Response to Sonko After Handover Outburst

A photo of Nairobi Metropolitan Services boss Major General Mohamed Badi (left) and Governor Mike Sonko.
Nairobi Metropolitan Services boss Major General Mohamed Badi (left) and Governor Mike Sonko.
Daily Nation

Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) leader Major General Mohamed Badi has broken his silence after Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko targeted him in a recent outburst.

Speaking on Monday, April 6, at Uhuru Park during the issuance of letters of redeployment to all county workers, according to a Citizen TV report, Badi told off Sonko claiming that he was in charge of the four key dockets now.

He further disclosed that he was legitimately appointed to the role and that Sonko had willingly signed to handover the four dockets to be managed by the national government.

“Governor Mike Sonko personally signed the Deed of Transfer and handed over the four key functions to the National Government and I’m the one in charge of those functions now.

Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko and Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa shake hands after the signing of the agreement in which functions of the Nairobi County Government were handed to the National Government on Tuesday, February 25 at State House.
Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko and Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa shake hands after the signing of the agreement in which functions of the Nairobi County Government were handed to the National Government on Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at State House.
PSCU

"I officially took them over on March 18, 2020, and on top of that, the Nairobi County Assembly had a Special Sitting where they approved the handover of those functions to me," stated Badi.

“I have authority over the personnel and even the assets including vehicles as well as the offices that had been assigned to these four departments which are now under my control," he added.

Sonko had, on Saturday, April 4, expressed his displeasure and disappointment at how some officials from the national government had chosen to pursue the implementation of the Deed of Transfer of Functions.

In the letter, the governor had criticised the NMS boss and the Public Service Commission for summoning six thousand and fifty-two employees at Uhuru Park in an exercise that was expected to run on Monday and Tuesday, April 7.

In his argument, Sonko cited President Uhuru Kenyatta's directive barring public gathering in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19.

“There is a Presidential Directive expressly prohibiting all public gatherings. It is therefore the height of impunity for the newly created Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), through the Public Service Commission (PSC), to purport to summon 6,052 employees of the Nairobi City County Government to KICC on Monday and Tuesday next week.

"It is a total disregard to the great risk they shall be exposing these employees to, as the country battles with the COVID-19 pandemic that has so far claimed four (4) lives and infected over 100 people," Sonko stated.

Sonko faulted some officials from the national government who he claimed were breaking all provisions of the Deed of Transfer

"The result is the anarchy that is quickly brewing, where all known protocols and procedures are being blatantly broken in the name of operationalizing the NMS. I want to assure them that that will never happen on my watch," he added.

Major General Mohammed Badi Ali (2nd from left, in military fatigue) looks on as former KAF Commander Maj Gen Joff Otieno hands over the service flag to the incoming commander Maj Gen Samuel Thuita in July 2014
Major General Mohammed Badi Ali (2nd from left, in military fatigue) looks on as former KAF Commander Maj Gen Joff Otieno hands over the service flag to the incoming commander Maj Gen Samuel Thuita in July 2014
File
Ministry of Defence