Good morning,
This week we witnessed one of the most embarrassing incidents at Nairobi’s City Hall which is not new to chaos and running battles even before devolution.
The seat of power for the capital city was known for all the wrong reasons during the days of councillors with some leaders then using all manner of violence to settle political scores including hiring goons to mete violence on their rivals and others engaging in physical fights in the full glare of cameras.
Even though during Evans Kidero’s administration there was some relative calm after entry of more ‘learned’ leaders in the name of MCAs, his predecessor seems to be making matters uglier.
Since his election in 2017, Governor Mike Sonko has been on a warpath with the assembly speaker Beatrice Elachi with the supporting cast of Matopeni Ward Representative Abdi Guyo, Assembly Clerk Jacob Ngwele and Minority Whip Peter Imwatok.
After the takeover of the city’s management by the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) led by Maj. Gen. Mohammed Badi, Sonko is now a mere lame-duck governor who will do anything to stay relevant as we approach 2022 elections.
Sonko knows that the status quo is not good for him politically as many continue to question his management style.
This coupled with the scramble for billions allocated from the national kitty, expect murkier scenes when the assembly resumes in September.
Here are the stories making headlines on Opera News today:
Suspicion Rocks Uhuru, Raila Camps
There is growing unease in President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga’s camps that could seriously threaten the Building Bridges Initiative.
Is the handshake slipping?
Handshake Under Threat, May Not Last Until 2022
The handshake was an interesting phenomenon in the Kenyan political environment. What is becoming clear about it is that it seemed intended to meet certain goals.
For Raila Odinga, it was about his political survival or rehabilitation. For Uhuru Kenyatta, it was meant to tame Raila politically and ensure he does not become too rogue a politician to interfere with peace and hinder his development agenda.
What About us? Bouncers Ask Uhuru as Bars, Clubs Stay Closed
Under normal circumstances, Chris would take home Sh40,000 per month from his job as a bouncer in one of the entertainment spots in Nairobi.
Although this amount does not place him in the elite category, it is still enough to cater for the needs of his family of wife and three children.
A section of coast legislators has now threatened to quit ODM. The MPs, led by Malindi representative Aisha Jumwa, accuse the party and its leader Raila Odinga of betrayal over revenue sharing formula that would mean the region receives a smaller share of the allocation from the national kitty. Do you think this will affect the massive support Raila enjoys across the region?