Sabotage at City Hall – Weekly Citizen

Nairobi governor Mike Sonko has moved fast to consolidate his powers at City Hall upon discovery that a section of his cabinet are on the payroll of a cartel that had been locked out but have recently resurfaced and found their way back.
Apart from the older cartel, City Hall of late has experienced the arrival of Somali power brokers who are controlling almost each and every department, thanks to millions of shillings at their disposal. Weekly Citizen has information that the Somali cartels are linked to dubious happenings that Sonko curtailed at Pumwani Hospital and the recent tragedy at Precious Talent Academy was an opportune moment to fight back his detractors through suspending 16 county officials perceived to be sabotaging his administration.

Guyo

Sonko suspended the officials including two of his confidants to pave way for investigations after eight pupils from the shanty school were tragically killed when classrooms collapsed on them.
Those suspended were Charles Kerich (finance and economic), Mohammed Dagane (health), Justus Kathenge (planning), Jusper Ndeke (director, planning compliance and enforcement), Dominic Mutegi (development management director) and Ochanda Ondari (assistant director enforcement).
Others caught up in the suspension were Ruth Waruguru (director, urban planning), Thomas Dudi (assistant director, planning), Simon Onyango (development officer) and Alex Mucheru (development control).
Also affected were Mackline Saitera, Edna Guantai, Joyce Kyengo, Lucy Wairimu, Sylvia Mwikali and Okal Kennedy.
Observers have, however, pointed out that the action by the governor was part of his expected onslaught against elements of sabotage being bankrolled by influential Somalis keen on cutting deals at City Hall.
Wealthy Somali cartels are focused on taking control of City Hall at the expense of service delivery, a move that has surprised Sonko.
They have deeply penetrated his administration and many were surprised when Kerich and Dagane were affected in the latest onslaught despite being perceived to be the governor’s most trusted allies in his cabinet. The Somalis have been even plotting to control city public service board.

Kerich

In particular, Kerich and Sonko’s relationship is said to have started experiencing hitches early this year when the governor got an intelligence report that the CEC for finance was in secret dealings with his enemies.
Further, it has emerged that Kerich has been attending meetings of Kalenjin tycoons out to fight William Ruto in Nairobi. Using his influential position as then Sonko second in command, Kerich has been receiving money to help finance his planned venture in active politics as he wants to run for a parliamentary seat either on Kanu of Gideon Moi or CCM of Isaac Ruto.
To signal that the governor had a protracted silent grudge with Kerich and others, sometimes last month while in Mombasa, he blasted Kerich in public, careful enough not to mention his name by then.
For Dagane, it has to do with mega multimillion scams in the health docket and nepotism in employment. The finance department of late has been collecting money not expected since the departure of Jijipay and word has it that a section of the staff is looting collections.
The planning department has been infiltrated by a cartel that approve construction works at a fee.