President Uhuru Kenyatta has told Governor Mike Sonko to support NMS director general Mohammed Badi, adding his job has not been ‘snatched’.
“No one’s job has been snatched. We should work together to develop Nairobi,” Uhuru said without directly mentioning Sonko.
The President spoke on Friday while addressing residents outside Pumwani, after holding a meeting with leaders of the Boda boda safety association.
Uhuru urged Nairobi residents to support Badi in managing the county.
“I’m humbly requesting you to support Badi because he is doing good work, and let us work together. If Nairobi improves it will be for everybody,” Uhuru said.
The county is yet to receive funds for development, after Sonko declined to assent to the Sh37.5 billion budget.
In the Budget, the County Assembly had given the Badi lead office Sh27.1 billion and Sonko’s administration Sh8.4 billion.
Friday was not the first time Uhuru has asked Sonko to work with Badi.
In August, the Head of State read riot act to Sonko and told him to stop politicising the NMS..
This saw the beginning of a short lived handshake between Sonko and Badi.
Last week, Sonko stated he was not afraid of the President and would not sit back and watch Nairobi residents be oppressed.
“We are not against development but people evicted should be compensated,” he said.
In the just released Building Bridges Initiative report, Nairobi will acquire a special status.
The bill proposes that the national government will be in charge of five Key county functions.
Health, transport, public works, planning , and fire and disaster management.
The report proposes that Article 200 of the Constitution be amended to require that Parliament, within a year, make a legislation to provide mechanisms for the carrying out of the said functions.
The proposal allows the national government to take away considerable powers from future governors of Nairobi county, without the requirement of a deed of transfer as is the case currently.
This might mean the Nairobi Metropolitan Service might still exist despite the deed of functions being a two-year contract.