Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki wants Nairobi County dissolved and its operations taken over by the national government.
Governor Njuki said that were a referendum to be held, the question on disbandment of Nairobi County should prominently because of duplication of roles between City Hall and the national government.
The Jubilee governor said that the capital city is such an important place to be left in the hands of a governor and it is often an inconvenience for the President, whose seat of power is Nairobi, to have to stoop down to a governor for consultations before implementing his agenda.
“We cannot have a county like Nairobi as it is a metropolitan. It does not qualify to be a county,” said Mr Njuki.
POLITICAL CONTROL
In a comment directed at the current Nairobi County’s leadership, Mr Njuki said it is dangerous to have the county run by another governor after this term ends.
“[Mike] Sonko always says he is from Machakos [County]. He can seek votes there in 2022 after Governor Alfred Mutua leaves the stage or he can also come to Tharaka Nithi and seek votes here,” said Mr Njuki.
The governor claimed political parties were forced to pump in a lot of resources during the electioneering period in bid to capture Nairobi because of the power one wields when in control of the city resources.
“Look at what [Evans] Kidero used to do to Jubilee Party and President Uhuru Kenyatta when he controlled Nairobi. They would book a venue only for the county government to revoke and give it to the opposition,” Mr Njuki claimed.
Depoliticisation of Nairobi, Mr Njuki contends, is the only solution to county’s many woes and cited United States’ seat of political power, Washington DC, which is not classified as a county.
Mr Njuki proposes the city to be run by a mayor and departmental heads answerable to the national government.
SIMILAR PROPOSALS
There have been other attempts by the Senate to disband Nairobi and have it as a metropolitan under the national government with the latest attempt a bill fronted by Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot.
The bill is currently being scrutinised by the Senate’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee.
Former Murang’a Senator Kembi Gitura had also brought a similar proposal in the 11th parliament but it was rejected because of perceived political undertones.
In keeping up with the true spirit of devolution, governor Njuki asked President Kenyatta to fully actualise the devolvement of all functions to the counties.
“Ministries like Water and Agriculture have no business being [controlled by] the national government. Residents in counties are being treated to spectacles such as same development projects being done by two entities yet such monies could be channelled to other uses,” said Mr Njuki.
During the special sitting of the National Assembly to vet and approve Mbarak Twalib as the chief executive of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Majority Leader Aden Duale also seemed to agree with this assertion, saying that the national government should only control defence foreign relations functions.