Citizens passing by City Hall were on Wednesday treated to humorous scenes, after unknown vandals defaced lion statues erected outside the office of Governor Mike Sonko.
This came just hours after the county head gave up the most crucial aspects of Nairobi county administration to the national government, a move that clearly upset a section of the Nairobi electorate.
Pictures from the scene show the face of statues, which elicited a social media uproar when they were installed alongside several others around the central business district in 2019, in a deplorable state, following the attack that reportedly took place overnight.
One of the sculptures is covered in black soot after the vandals attempted to set it ablaze, while another is covered in spray paint.
Sculptures erected by Governor Mike Sonko defaced and painted black.
Sculptures erected by Governor Mike Sonko defaced and painted black.
Posted by NTV Kenya on Tuesday, 25 February 2020
Among the powers that Sonko surrendered to President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Ministry of Devolution on Tuesday are the management of Nairobi health services, transport services, public works, and planning.
The surprise move is set to put the stalled Nairobi county back on its feet, as the governor battles to prove his innocence in his Ksh357 million court case, which led to his blocking from office in Dec. 2019.
The controversial leader had steered the capital city on his own, after adamantly refusing to appoint a deputy for two years, following the resignation of his 2017 running mate, Polycarp Igathe.
Sonko eventually nominated Ann Kananu Mwenda as his deputy in January, but she is yet to undergo the requisite vetting process before assuming office.
The devolved unit has, therefore, suffered a leadership vacuum for close to three months, and the Tuesday deal between Sonko and Uhuru was interpreted as a strategy to resolve this biting crisis.