The MCAs accuse Governor Sakaja of deliberately failing to declare the post vacant and delaying the advertisement for a competitive recruitment process. Sources close to City Hall allege the governor is seeking to install a CEO who will be personally loyal to his administration, despite the law stipulating that the role must be filled through open competition. While the board conducts the interviews, the governor retains the final say on who is appointed.
In the absence of a CEO, the board’s Secretary is currently handling executive functions, including implementing board decisions and resolutions. The MCAs insist that the vacancy must be declared immediately, with the recruitment conducted in a fully transparent and competitive manner.
Tensions between the Assembly and the board are not new. The MCAs have in the past accused the board of favouritism, extortion, and irregularities in the appointment of county staff. Last year, a section of MCAs even called for the dissolution of the board, citing procedural flaws in its establishment, including inadequate public participation and a non-competitive selection process.
Concerns have also been raised over the board’s handling of disciplinary matters, notably the censure of Chief Officer for Housing and Urban Renewal, Lydia Mathia, following her role in the eviction of residents from government-owned estates. Mathia has challenged the censure in court, claiming it is unconstitutional and procedurally flawed. The High Court has since suspended the process.
The MCAs believe that with no CEO in place, they can exert stronger oversight over the board, thereby improving transparency and accountability in the county’s public service. However, they claim Governor Sakaja has been lobbying board members under the leadership of Chairman Thomas Kasoa instead of moving swiftly to fill the vacancy.
Adding to the pressure, the board is currently embroiled in a legal battle over allegations that its chairperson and members were appointed illegally, with the recruitment process said to have bypassed competitive requirements. It is alleged that the vacancies were not advertised in the press, no proper longlisting or shortlisting was carried out, and numerous qualified candidates were unfairly excluded.
As the standoff intensifies, the unresolved CEO appointment is becoming a flashpoint in the ongoing political and administrative tussle between Governor Sakaja and the Nairobi County Assembly.
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