Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has always said that he is appointing a Deputy but this has never come to pass. Whenever the question is raised Mike Sonko has always said he is still consulting. Does this mean that the Governor is consulting with the heavens?
Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja has said the appointment of a Deputy Governor in Nairobi is long overdue.
Sakaja, who spoke on JK Live on Citizen TV on Tuesday night, said he is disappointed that Governor Mike Sonko is dragging his feet.
“The Constitution defines a properly constituted county government comprises a Governor, Deputy Governor, 10 CECs, chief officers, directors and other officials.
A person can go to court and say Nairobi county is not legally structured,” he said.
Sakaja said having a Deputy Governor is not a matter of whether Sonko wants or not, but it is what the Constitution says.
“As the Senator, I’m in charge of oversight. I have raised the issue of lack of a Deputy Governor several times in the Senate. I think we need to take the matter to the next level because honestly, there is a way a county needs to be structured,” he said.
Nairobi has been without a Deputy Governor since Polycarp Igathe resigned in January last year.
Under pressure, on May 16 last year Sonko named controversial lawyer Miguna Miguna as deputy.
However, MCAs rejected his pick on grounds that Miguna was not a member of Jubilee Party and there was uncertainty over his citizenship.
On January 10, again Sonko promised to fill the position.
The Governor who addressed the media in Mombasa said he has already settled on the person who will replace Igathe.
Sonko said the delays in the appointment were caused by consultations between various stakeholders, including his party.
The Governor downplayed rumours that the city is in crisis for not having a deputy.
“We are very stable without a DG. No crisis whatsoever,” he said.
In August last year, Sonko requested his supporters on social media to pick a deputy for him among four names he had given out.