Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has suspended three employees for allegedly misusing public funds. Chief of staff Brian Mugo, acting chief finance officer Ekaya Alumasi, and acting head of county treasury Stephen Mutua were suspended.
The governor forwarded their names to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
“There was an intelligence report showing they had misused county resources. Internal investigations have implicated them,” Communications director Elkana Jacob said.
Meanwhile, Sonko has moved Trade CEC Allan Igambi to the Finance docket in a mini-reshuffle announced on Monday. His place has been taken by Newton Munene who was vetted and approved by the assembly in May as the Finance CEC.
He had not been officially appointed, despite his name being approved two months ago.
Igambi now becomes the fourth person to serve as Finance executive.
The seat was initially held by the current Devolution CEC Vesca Kangogo. Kangogo was replaced by Danvas Makori who was initially in Agriculture docket.
Sonko sacked finance executive Danvas Makori and named Newton Munene as his replacement. Makori was sacked in April, less than two months after being appointed for allegedly “spying for the governor’s enemies.”
Sonko also wrote to county assembly speaker Beatrice Elachi to reactivate the confirmation process of State House official Peter Kariuki as county secretary. Kariuki’s name was recalled last December after he had been named among nominees for vetting.
“I convey to the county assembly the reactivation of the approval for Pater Kariuki as my nominee to the position of county secretary,” Sonko said in a letter to Elachi yesterday.
The Appointments Committee had already vetted Kariuki before his nomination was recalled.
The committee, chaired by Elachi, is expected to table the report before MCAs today afternoon.
Lands executive Charles Kerich will serve as the acting finance executive until Munene is vetted and approved.
This is not the first time that Sonko has shuffled his cabinet. Early this year he made changes to the Cabinet, barely four months into their tenure.
In a circular dated February 26, Sonko said the changes were immediate.
The Governor replaced his Finance Executive Veska Kangongo with Danvas Makori, who was serving in the Agriculture, Livestock Development and Fisheries docket. Kangongo will now head the Devolution docket.
Larry Wambua who was in Devolution, will be in charge of Environment, and replaces Emmah Mukuhi who has been transfered to the ICT docket.
Charles Kerich, who was heading ICT, has been moved to Lands while Peter Njuguna, who was in the latter docket has been moved to the Agriculture department.The Governor maintained Hitan Majevdia in the Health docket, Allan Igambi as Tourism Executive and Janet Ouko in the Education, Youth, Gender and Sports department.
Mohammed Dagane remained the CEC in charge of Roads, Infrastructure and Transport.
“The Executive members should take their work with the seriousness it deserves,” reads part of the circular.
According to Nairobi Deputy Director of Communications, Elkana Jacob, Sonko had to effect the changes for better service delivery. “The Governor is after effective service delivery. People should not read too much into this – it is purely to make Nairobi County more productive.”