Uhuru tells off Sonko, wants him to stay clear of Gen Badi
Embattled Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko yesterday experienced first-hand the fury of President Uhuru Kenyatta over his alleged meddling in the running of the capital city.
Sonko, who has been accused of sabotaging the operations of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) was caught pants down by the President who told him to his face to stop fighting the new body’s Director General Maj-Gen Mohamed Badi.
“Sonko stop these politics! The General is not interested in the position of governor.
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He is not interested in the position of an MCA and he is not even interested in the post of the Speaker.
He is my officer and once he is done with the City work, he will go back to the military to protect Kenyans. So I do not want to hear those politics,” a stern Uhuru told Sonko.
The public lecture forced a humbled Sonko to profusely apologise to Badi, who stood next to him outside the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) where the President had gone to issue title deeds to city residents.
Sonko had unwittingly attracted Uhuru’s fury when he accused Badi of sidelining him in the running of Nairobi’s affairs and appealed to the president to involve him in his tours of the city.
“I want that when you (President) are visiting Grogan to visit projects, let the people know that you are helping and that I am still in politics.
And therefore Badi, do not push me out, let us work together,” Sonko told the event that curiously was also attended by former Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi.
It was Elachi’s first public appearance since she resigned from her position on Tuesday.
Badi in a swift rejoinder told Sonko that he was not in any way intending to edge him out of politics, a response that caught the attention of the president, triggering the stern warning.
Sonko was then forced to publicly apologize to Badi for among other things insulting him during a funeral at Ruai on Tuesday when he accused him of oppressing Nairobi residents. The embattled governor also promised to work with the NMS boss.
Unprovoked outburst
Sonko, who has been uncomfortable with NMS that was created after he signed a Deed of Transfer surrendering some of the key functions to the national government, later addressed the media with Badi during which accused some unnamed politicians of sowing bad blood between him and the NMS boss by peddling lies.
“All the bad things that I have said to my brother Badi, I want to say sorry. Going forward, we shall work together, and these things are because of politicians who are peddling petty politics by going to Badi and telling him that I am a bad person and then run to me to say that Badi is a bad man. Our aim is development and going forward you will be seeing us together,” a subdued Sonko said.
Badi on his part said the differences between him and Sonko were now in the past and that they would henceforth work together.
“There is no bitterness between the two of us because just like you have heard, your mandate is to serve people wherever they are.
Whether it is roads, water, title deeds, connect electricity, sewerage, we shall deliver.
From now on, you will see us together with the governor, like on Friday we shall open the rehabilitated Michuki Park together and in any other projects, we shall be working together,” Badi told reporters.
On Tuesday, Sonko had in an unprovoked outburst on Tuesday accused Badi of seeking to humiliate him in public by portraying him as an incompetent leader.
“General let’s respect each other. If you bring insults, (just know) we are not afraid. If you want war, go to Somalia and fight Al-shabby.
Leave the people of Nairobi (alone), go and fight Al-shabaab. General, God does not sleep. He does not sleep. Your day will also come,” thundered a visibly irritated Sonko.
