City Hall sources divulged to The Weekly Vision that the Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin, through the head of the Investigations Bureau at the DCI headquarters David Birech, sent a letter dated July 21st, 2023, to Sakaja demanding a list of tender documents issued to nine companies suspected to have been used to siphon millions from City Hall. Sources say the governor is facing serious investigations for corruption and abuse of office
Speculation is rife in the city that Governor Johnson Sakaja and President William Ruto are no longer on speaking terms. Political analysts point out the governor’s conspicuous absence from the President’s entourage at three major events in the last month to drive their point home.
First, the governor was conspicuously absent during the devolution conference held in Eldoret a few weeks ago, we have gathered that he was in Dubai at the time. Questions have been asked as to why the governor would choose to fly out of the country and avoid attending such an important event. Further, sources say that the governor flew to Dubai ostensibly to avoid the conference, after being subjected to investigations over corruption allegations by the national government agencies.
Sources say all has not been well between the governor and the President after the President was made aware of corruption allegations at City Hall. To further show that all is not well between the two men, keen observers might have noticed that he was again absent during the president’s tour of Western Kenya.
Analysts say that it was expected that the governor, having claimed that he traces his roots in the region and is a member of the UDA party, he was expected to have accompanied the president during the tour. His absence left many political observers wondering why he skipped such a highly publicized presidential tour in his ‘very own’ backyard. His absence again points to a serious fallout between him and the president.
Another significant event is the alleged eviction of the governor from a private office in Riverside. Reports claim that Sakaja’s private office in Riverside was searched by detectives in connection with ongoing investigations over alleged corruption at City Hall.
City Hall sources divulged to The Weekly Vision that the Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin, through the head of the Investigations Bureau at the DCI headquarters, David Birech, sent a letter dated July 21st, 2023, to Sakaja demanding a list of tender documents issued to nine companies suspected to have been used to siphon millions from City Hall. Sources say the governor is facing serious investigations for corruption and abuse of office.
Analysts now say that the alleged fallout has led the president’s handlers to test political waters by proposing that former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero should relocate to Nairobi and fly the UDA gubernatorial flag in 2027.
Although the proposal has received both support and rejection in equal measure, those pushing the idea must also be ready to hand the DP Rigathi Gachagua’s push for a Mount Kenya governor in 2027.
Analysts now say that the 2027 Nairobi gubernatorial race will be a titanic battle, more so if it is between Kidero (UDA) and Tim Wanyonyi (ODM). But where will this leave Governor Sakaja? Politically speaking, if President Ruto successfully pushes for Mr Kidero’s candidature in 2027 and Sakaja opts out of the race, then the move will confirm the fear among voters in Nairobi that the city-county is jinxed with governors serving for only one term.
Kidero served for a full term before being ousted by Mike Sonko, who was later impeached before serving a full term. Sonko was replaced by Assembly Speaker Bernard Mutura, who also served for close to two months before Ann Kananu took over.
