Sonko now wants NMS placed under Nairobi County Govt, claims Badi blackmailing him

The differences between Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) played out during a session of the Senate Public Accounts and Investment Committee after he accused the NMS of operating outside the law.

Sonko says even though he supports the President’s agenda of transforming Nairobi County, he is appalled that NMS wants to portray him as a failure.

He wants the Senate to make NMS an entity under Nairobi County so as operate within the law, as he says he can’t directly transfer money to the agency which took over control of the city following an agreement between the County Government and National Government.

Sonko says NMS Director-General Maj. General Mohammed Badi has been blackmailing him with impeachment threats and even blocking him from attending any NMS functions.

“I am not a failure, I have done a lot for this county and I don’t want to be portrayed as a failure, I know Nairobi might not be a County after constitutional changes, I might want to vie in Machakos, Mombasa Kilifi or even Kwale, what will I tell the people if they think that I couldn’t perform in Nairobi?” Sonko posed.

The meeting was forced to adjourn after Sonko said he has no access to the county office after he was barred by the courts.

Sonko told the Sam Ongeri-led committee that due to his inability to access office or interact with the staff, he could not table responses to the audit queries for 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017/18 Financial Years.

“I was charged in court and barred from accessing office or interacting with staff. This ruling has really affected my work,” said Sonko.

Sonko argues that the Mohammed Badi-led Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) illegally took his staff thereby disrupting the normal operations of his administration.

“NMS has been seconding staff illegally, interrupting my operations and therefore I have been unable to get the documents to table before this committee,” he said.

Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo advised the governor to ensure he presents a petition to the Senate to substantially deal with the NMS issue.

“We must make a decision. The governor has given his reasons that is affecting the work. The matter is not just facing Samburu. As far as NMS is concerned, he has right. For Senate to substantially canvass this matter you should have a motion,” said Dullo.