The Nairobi Metropolitan Services and Nairobi County are staring at six months of service paralysis after Governor Mike Sonko declined to authorise the release of funds.
County Speaker Benson Mutura blamed Sonko for the impasse which has caused a disruption of services and delayed salaries.
“No one can access the funds; not the assembly, NMS or Nairobi County government.
"That is the problem we are currently facing. We are staring at a paralysis just because the governor has not signed the warrants (documents authorising the withdrawal of funds from the County Revenue Fund),” Mutura said.
Sonko's spokesperson Benson Mulwa added that MCAs may go for six months without salary. The lawmakers and county staff have already gone for two months without pay.
The governor, by declining to sign the Nairobi City County Appropriation Bill 2020, further affected NMS operations.
MCAs had awarded Ksh 27.1 billion to the Mohamed Badi led team, Ksh 8.4 billion to Sonko's administration and Ksh 2 billion to the County Assembly.
Badi, in an interview on October 28 stated that he had resorted to borrowing from lenders and contributions from ministries to fund his services.
NMS is expected to refund the money from the budget Sonko declined to sign.
MCAs further heaped pressure on NMS to expedite services in the county after they passed a motion asking Badi to address health grievances before doctors go on strike on December 7.
The strike is poised to go on as NMS reportedly has no cash to provide improved risk allowances and adequate medical cover for medics.
Reports allege that Sonko is holding NMS at ransom as leverage for the impeachment motion tabled against him. The conflict between him and NMS is reportedly one of the reasons why the Jubilee leadership is pushing for his ouster.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga reportedly directed the MCAs to eject the Governor as NMS is the Head of State's key project aligned with his legacy.
Sonko took MCAs on a holiday in Mombasa on Monday with reports claiming that he plans to scuttle the impeachment motion through a quorum hitch.
