NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 12 – Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and Nairobi Metropolitan Service Director General, Major General Mohammed Badi have agreed to work together after months of a protracted dispute over city functions.
The two gave the commitment shortly after attending an event presided over by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Sonko has on several occasions since the constitution of the NMS in March faulted the agency whose officials he numerously accused of working with unnamed national government officials to usurp functions domiciled under his office.
“Today I want to apologize on anything bad that I have said against my brother Badi, going forward we will work together in implementing development projects in this great city,” said Sonko.
Badi committed to work closely with Sonko with the two leader expected to jointly open Nairobi’s Michuki Park, a recreational site established from a reclaimed dumpsite along the Nairobi River.
“There is no enmity between the two of us, you will now start seeing us with the Governor initiating and supervising projects because that is what we have been assigned to do,” said Badi.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had earlier on urged the two to work together for the betterment of service delivery in Nairobi, warning that continuous politicking will jeopardize service delivery in the city.
“Our duty as leaders is to deliver services to our citizens so that they live decent lives, let’s put politics aside and do what we have been elected to do,” he said.
President Kenyatta particularly chastised Governor Sonko in particular, who has incessantly condemned the NMS.
“General Badi is not a politician. I assigned him to head NMS and once he accomplishes his task at the County he will go back to the military and continue protecting our citizens,” said the President.
Sonko has on several occasions since the constitution of the NMS in March faulted the agency whose officials he numerously accused of working with unnamed national government officials to usurp functions domiciled under his office.
He had also threatened to pull out of the Deed of Transfer agreement that was entered between the two levels of government, citing numerous illegalities.
Sonko recently announced that his official car and residence had been seized by NMS, intensifying the fight between his administration and the Badi-led agency.
Sonko surrendered health, transport, public works and planning dockets to the national government under a Deed of Transfer signed on March 18.
The Governor later claimed he was not in the right state of mind while signing the deal in the presence of President Kenyatta at State House Nairobi.
