Sakaja upstage DP Gachagua in Gikomba donation to support fire victims
The antagonistic battle for the control of Nairobi playing out between Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua with the latter having been on record asking the governor to “go slow” on some decisions yesterday came to the fore from the usual political arena to an apparent display of financial might.
While responding to a noble humanitarian cause occasioned by a deadly inferno at the Gikomba open air market that left a youthful man aged 23 years old dead, DP Rigathi’s Sh1million and Sakaja’s Sh2.4million donations towards reconstruction efforts of those affected were marred by deep political undertones.
Unlike in the past where such support in kind or in cash is coordinated through a multi-agency approach through the office of the governor or the Ministry of Interior, the DP’s office directly sent Political and Youth Affairs Advisor in the Office of the Deputy President George Theuri to directly handover Sh1million donation to the affected traders.
While Theuri who is former Embakasi West MP was accompanied by former Starehe Member of Parliament Charles Njagua and Ziwani MCA Gerald Irungu, visiting separately, Sakaja was accompanied by Starehe legislator Amos Mwago.
“There is an apparent rift between the governor and business people from Mt Kenya whose senior most representative in the Kenya Kwanza administration happens to be the Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. It goes without saying that the DP will articulate concerns of the Mountain which are putting his in a collision course with the governor. You cannot underestimate the Mt Kenya votes in Nairobi.” Hillary Nandeto, a governance expert told The Informer.
Sakaja contributed construction materials S worth Sh2.4 million in support of reconstruction efforts.
Speaking when he visited the scene, the governor reiterated the pledge he made in October this year that his administration will build a fire station in Gikomba for swift response in an event of fire outbreak.
He added that the county government has initiated a process to have the land surveyed and a title issued to shield it from marauding grabbers.
“I updated traders on the progress we have made on the fire station whose construction will commence soon as well as on the processing of the public title deed for Gikomba which we’re expediting with the NLC. This will discourage opportunistic arsonists. I am very sorry ((Poleni sana); this will be a thing of the past,” he said.
Sakaja also donated Sh200,000 to the family of Samuel Njuguna who succumbed after an inferno at the market on December 29.
Earlier, the Deputy President admonished Sakaja for allegedly persecuting business people from Mt Kenya.
“We do not want his high speed (in making decisions) and I have summoned him for a sitting…It is a no for any of his decisions that might have negative effect on our people. We made you governor and we are vigilant on our interests” and “we must get involved in those decisions that have an effect on our people.” Gachagua said.
In a rejoinder to the mounting pressure of his nascent administration, Sakaja is on record saying he is not a pushover.
The incessant fires in Gikomba are attributed to land grabbing efforts by influential shadowy individuals.
