Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko now says only Jane Weru and lawyer Karen Nyamu are in the race to become the next Deputy Governor of Nairobi County.
Nyamu came into the limelight after she expressed interest in the Nairobi Woman Representative’s seat in the last year’s General Election but lost during party nominations.
On the other hand, Weru is an Executive Director of Akiba Trust Mashinani a Non-Governmental Organisation and also a lawyer.
Sonko had indicated that he would appoint a woman to fill in the position.
Other women who had been earlier on the shortlist were businesswoman Agnes Kagure and Bishop Margret Wanjiru.
Recently, the Nairobi County Women Forum petitioned the Office of the President and that of the Deputy President to intervene and have Sonko speed up the appointment.
Led by Nairobi County Women Forum chairlady Cecilia Wairimu, the women wanted Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko to move with speed and appoint a Deputy Governor preferably a woman.
For a close to a year ,women have waited for the Governor to honour his pledge of appointing a woman Deputy Governor.Some of the problems women face emanate from the fact that there isn’t someone high placed to stand for them,”she said
In September, Nairobi MCAs gave the governor a two week ultimatum to appoint a Deputy governor.
“The issue of deputy governor is long overdue. In this motion of county affairs we have resolved that the Governor appoints his deputy as soon as possible because we need him or her in one way or the other,’ said Nairobi County Assembly Majority Leader Abdi Guyo.
Guyo, however, dismissed claims that there is bad blood between the county executive and the assembly.
“We have no bad blood, all we are saying is that service delivery to the people of Nairobi needs to be improved and the governor should let the county structures work and stipulated in the constitution,” Guyo noted.
The Deputy Governor’s position fell vacant in January this year after Polycarp Igathe resigned citing failure to earn the trust of the governor.
In May, Miguna Miguna was unanimously rejected by the Nairobi County Assembly who advised the governor to appoint another suitable candidate for the position for vetting and approval.
Governor Sonko is required to nominate his preferred candidate for the Deputy Governor’s post for submission to the County Assembly which will vet and approve the candidate if satisfied