Nairobi County Takeover , not just yet a Done Deal

Days after Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko surrendered key county functions to the National Government, it is now seeking to get public views.

In a notice placed on the local dailies, the public has been urged to attend a forum on March 4 at the Kenya School of Government to present their views. This is after lawyers protested that there was no public participation in the takeover of County functions by the National Government.

In a landmark agreement signed at State House on Tuesday, Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko and Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa in concurrence with H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta, signed an agreement, handing over functions of the Nairobi County Government to the National Government, pursuant to Article 187 of the Constitution.

The government will be in charge of health, transport, public works, utilities and ancillary services as well as planning and development.City Hall has 10 major sectors including finance and economic planning; environment, water and natural resources; roads, transport and infrastructure; ICT and e-government; and education, sports, youth and social services.
The others are trade, commerce and tourism; health services; devolution and public service management; lands, housing and urban planning; and food, agriculture and livestock.
Functions at most of City Hall’s departments had stalled for months because of mass suspension of staff.

The legal and urban planning departments bore the brunt of Sonko’s unorthodox leadership, barely having enough staff as the governor suspended them.On January 30, 2020, Sonko made changes in his cabinet, sacking Kahiga. For almost a month, neither Kahiga nor Igambi has been at the Finance office, leaving staff frustrated and confused about who they should be reporting to.
Sonko, who is out on bond, is barred by the court from setting foot in office until his case is heard and determined, even though he has been making changes to his cabinet among other executive orders.