Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is embroiled in a fierce political clash with top leadership of his Kenya Kwanza Alliance over three of his nominees for the County Executive Committee Members affiliated to the opposition’s Azimio One Kenya Coalition.
Impeccable sources revealed that one openly infuriated Kenya Kwanza political honcho claimed placed a direct call to the now embattled governor breathing fire and brimstone after he unveiled 10 nominees to his county cabinet.
Sakaja is said to have explained that since Azimio was the majority in the County Assembly, he had devised a working strategy by having an “all-inclusive executive committee”. A source privy to the goings on told The Informer.
However, the powerful leader known for his political gusto could hear nothing of the sort and ordered the three names be dropped forwith and be replaced with members of Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
Among the nominees include Michael Gumo, nominee for Innovation and Digital Economy docket.
Gumo contested for the Westlands seat in the party preliminaries but later withdrew from the race to back Tim Wanyonyi.
Rosemary Kariuki was nominated to the newly created Business and Hustler Opportunities docket.
Before he announced his nominees, reports were rife that the governor was under immense pressure from form another Kenya Kwanza top gun to announce a list of their preference.
It is also believed that the governor was also under pressure from a Western Kenya allied political outfit to include more names from the Luhya community to his list of cabinet nominees.
The inclusion of ODM affiliated nominees has left the three Kenya Kwanza leaders furious and sources indicate the governor has been ordered to find a way of dropping them.
Meanwhile, the Nairobi City County Assembly has already called on the public to file views on the nominees.
In an advert signed by the Clerk Edward Gichana, members of the public have until November 10, 2022 to submit their views to the Select Committee on Appointments.
The committee is scheduled to begin its approval hearings on November 14 with Finance nominee Charles Kerich set to appear first.
It is not clear whether Sakaja will give in to the pressure but political observers opine that he has no option but to work with the Azimio Coalition which has the majority MCAs.
“It is quite clear to the governor and to us as MCAs that you cannot run the county without the support of the majority coalition unless you want to set your administration for failure.” One of the MCA noted.
However, top United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party operatives in Nairobi have opined that the governor had to trade in some cabinet slots in exchange for more House committee slots to UDA side in the county assembly.
This was manifested when Azimio sacrificed seven committees to UDA. Some of the committees include the ICT committee, Agriculture and Public Investment Committee.
UDA will also take charge of the Public Accounts Committee by virtue of being the minority side.
Sakaja’s dilemma can be attributed to the fact that Nairobi is largely under the political control of Azimio leader Raila Odinga, backed by Jubilee and Wiper parties.
Voting patterns as per the August election clearly indicate that the governor received as many votes from Azimio supporters much as he got from Kenya Kwanza supporters.
Perhaps having taken some lessons home from the calamitous reign of ex-governor Mike Sonko who had endless fights with the assembly, Sakaja is treading more carefully.
Events at City Hall so far point to an emerging closer and rosy working relationship between the governor and county legislators across the political divide.
Even though, his regime appears to have attracted negative political tirades from the ruling party Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
With President William Ruto having chosen most of his allies and staunch UDA stalwarts to the cabinet, governor Sakaja was widely expected to replicate the same despite the tough political dynamics that do not favour the ruling coalition in Nairobi county.
Approval hearings of the CECMs will run for three consecutive days from November 14 to November 16, 2022.
