Elected on United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party ticket, the MPs and MCAs in Nairobi have expressed their concerns over the status of development in the city under the leadership of Johnson Sakaja.
The politicians are accusing the current administration of failing to meet expectations of residents who overwhelmingly voted for the President’s party in 2022.
The lawmakers led by Dagoretti South MP John KJ Kiarie in lengthy address last, invited investigative authorities to the City Hall to probe alleged wanton graft.
“It is our observation that is now the view of the majority of the city county residents that Nairobi could be facing its worst leadership crisis at City Hall,” Kiarie stated.
“The dream that was sold during the campaigns of a city or order, dignity and opportunities for all has turned into the nightmare that Nairobi is becoming,” he added.
Kairie was flanked by other Nairobi Roysambu MP Augustine Kamande Mwafrika and Embakasi South’s Benjamin Gathiru alias Major Donk among several MCAs led by Nairobi South ward rep Waithera Chege who has just been affirmed as party minority leader in the Assembly.
In their statement, they claimed that the city leadership at City Hall and executive by extension is laced with aloof and dangerously corrupt leadership.
“Nairobi City is drowning in the murky lakes of flowing sewerage estate buried in mountains garbage, taps whistling to the tunes of dryness as storm waters flood our homes and businesses,” KJ stated.
The lawmakers raised concerns over unplanned constructions in the city including high-rises claiming greedy offficials are bribed with cash or apartments to authorise illegal skyscrapers.
Sakaja has been challenged over his remarks that tall buildings will now be constructed in areas such as Kileleshwa, Lavington, Eastleigh among other areas in the city.
The legislators and the ward reps baying for Sakaja’s blood said city lacks a clear vision complete with a well-thought out masterplan as the guiding instrument.
At the same time, they noted that the recent report by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu unearthed the rot at City Hall among them gross mismanagement of public finances.
Gathungu has raised concerns over huge legal pending bills in Nairobi County for the Financial Year that ended on June 30, 2023.
“Analysis of the revenue against the legal fees revealed that 11 advocates out of a legal list of 832 cases, are owed a total of Sh10,741 ,451 ,631,” the report stated.
For this reason, she cautioned the Johnson Sakaja-led administration that in any circumstances that the legal pending bills are paid, then other services to taxpayers would be crippled.
The City UDA MPs accused the executive of holding hostage some MCA’s in the Assembly.
“The City County Assembly risks being dysfunctional remote controlled ineffective house with the ever dangling carrot promised to those who are willing to sell their dignity and loyalty,” Kiarie added.
They urged the executive to let the MCAs free and institutionalize the Ward Development Fund so that the MCAs can be able conduct development in their wards.
