Nairobi Assembly sets aside millions to clear CBK offices rent arrears

Nairobi City County has reallocated KSh 50 million for the purchase of furniture and payment of rent arrears at the Central Bank of Kenya Pension tower offices.
In the allocation set for the boroughs and personnel sector which includes purchase of uniforms for Security and compliance officers set for KSh 40 million and KSh 20 million for Monitoring and evaluation, the county also set aside a budget to cater for its pending rent arrears for the offices which it acquired early last year.
“That the allocation of boroughs and personnel be increased to take care of CBK rent arrears and purchase of furniture,” the report by the Nairobi City County Assembly select committee for finance, budget and appropriations stated in part.
The allocation for the CBK office rent arrears was part of the KSh1.26 billion reallocated for pending bills in the first supplementary budget for the City government.
This comes as last year, governor Sakaja sought a second office at the CBK pension towers urging that it would be for both administrative tasks and public engagements.
According to Priscilla Mahinda, the Chief Officer in the office of the governor, Sakaja needed space for meeting the public and his paper work.
“We have realized the need for the governor to have space where he can balance between meeting the people and doing the paperwork as the CEO of the county,” Mahinda previously stated while appearing before the Justice and Legal Affairs Sectorial Committee.
Nairobi City County Attorney Christine Ireri Cited lack of concentration and inadequate safety as the key reasons they sought the second office.
“Sometimes it’s very difficult to concentrate on work and meet deadlines when there are constant interruptions,” Ireri said.
Ireri told the committee that the governor’s office at City Hall would still be retained.”We are not moving the official office. The governor will still retain his City Hall office.”
She said they currently face challenges of balancing public service with the need for focused work.”We cannot turn away people from the office, but it’s essential to have time to concentrate on our responsibilities,” Ireri stated.MCAs had raised concerns regarding the implications of the proposal for a second governor’s office as City Hall is the only gazetted office.
“If the governor moves out of his official working office, it raises questions about the need for another gazetted location,” Justice and Legal Affairs Committee Chairman and Mugumoini MCA Jared Akama stated.
He pointed out that the confusion could arise for residents, as the official office is known to be at City Hall.
However, Akama acknowledged that City Hall had acquired two floors at CBK Pension Towers for its staff due to space limitations at City Hall Annexe.
He noted that this arrangement has been in place since the tenure of former governor Mike Sonko.