With the Current Reign of Confusion, What is the Way Forward for Nairobi?

After Nairobi’s deputy governor, Polycarp Igathe resigned, the position was lobbied even before the law paving way for the appointment was passed, and with the Supreme Court giving Mike Sonko, Nairobi’s governor and his Nyeri counterpart Mutahi Kahiga 14 days to nominate their deputies, the question still lingers, what is the way forward?

Earlier on, Sonko’s close relationship with the East Africa Legislative Assembly (Eala) member and a former MP for Kamukunji constituency, Simon hadn’t sat well with his critics.

Nairobi’s Members of the county assembly had lodged accusations at Mr. Mbugua saying he was running the show for City Hall since Igathe’s resignation. The debate left room for heated discussions with Sonko refuting claims that he could nominate the former MP for the position.

The governor said that he had not delegated any duties to anyone and he even accused the Ward Representatives of being used by cartels to undermine his leadership.

Ironically, on Monday, a shot of a letter from Mike Sonko’s forwarding the name of Simon Mbugua to the Senate for vetting as the new Nairobi governor leaked into the social media.

Hardly had the digital media enthusiasts started expressing their views of concerns and disappointments that the governor was turning the city into becoming the fable Gotham City than he denied the authenticity of the letter.

The letter raises more questions than answers. Was governor Sonko trying to test the waters with both feet following the embarrassing fallouts he has had pushing the agenda through the house? Had his critics seen this coming?

Initially, Nairobians were thrilled with the idea of Igathe in office but it didn’t take longer than five months for difference of opinions and how the city was run to materialize. With the exit of the deputy governor, there were mixed reactions with questions on who would replace him.

Many will agree that it is difficult to work with Governor Sonko unless your relationship with him was like that of Uhuru and Ruto (debatable), and for that, others have said that the governor has three options: one was to nominate a new deputy governor – a task which is overwhelming him, two, to resign as well, and three, to run for the whole term without a deputy.

Apparently, none of the three options are seemingly possible for the governor. His stalling in nominating a candidate is taking long and Nairobians are getting tired! Well, they say he can’t run the county without sending it tumbling.

Many have been hoping that Mike Sonko doesn’t appoint his friend, Simon Mbugua. In fact, days ago, Kenyans on social media were demanding the deportation of Mr. Mbugua for meddling in Nairobi politics.

Sources close to City Hall believe the controversial politician is seeking to exploit his closeness to Mike Sonko and Jubilee bigwigs to clinch the deputy governor’s slot and with the letter that Mike Sonko claims isn’t real, we can all tell the bearing of the city’s politics.

Flashback to February 2018, when the county executive committee had written a letter to Sonko, complaining about the conduct of the seasoned Nairobi politician, and relate this with how many deem the governor is failing at his task, where is Nairobi headed?

The future is bleak, and certainly if Mike Sonko chooses Simon Mbugua, the case could be like that of that of Bruce Wayne, (Batman’s non-masked alias) who confronts with issues and threats to which liberals and conservatives offer different responses, and priority, he reacts without any preconceived prescription for a solution.

Sonko is clearly fumbling around for a direction and ponders different options without seriousness at all.