ODM leader Raila Odinga with Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja./FILE
ODM leader Raila Odinga has once again come to the rescue of
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, scuttling a fresh impeachment plot that had
gained momentum in the county assembly.
Sources told the Star that Raila summoned Nairobi assembly
leaders, led by Speaker Ken Ngondi, alongside Sakaja, to his Karen residence on
Friday for a tense meeting that lasted several hours.
“Baba was very mad at us. He told us to stop the nonsense. But we
also told him the issues we have with the governor,” one MCA who attended the
meeting revealed.
The resolution was reached during a Speaker’s Kamkunji convened by
Ngondi to air long-standing grievances.
The impeachment plan included a special retreat in Naivasha this
week to draft charges and collect signatures. However, Raila’s intervention has
thrown the exercise into disarray.
The rift between Sakaja and the assembly leadership remains
unclear, though several MCAs accuse the governor of “sponsoring” rival
aspirants ahead of the 2027 elections.
Others claim he bypassed them during recent empowerment programmes,
including a State House event where motorcycles and equipment were distributed.
“We were not involved. You saw the people taking motorbikes and
other things at the State House; they came from our wards, but we were never
consulted,” one MCA said.
Ward reps also accuse the governor of withholding “facilitation”
funds and refusing to dish out handouts, fueling anger among sections of the
assembly.
Even before Raila’s move, the impeachment plan had split MCAs.
Mathare North MCA Oscar Lore dismissed it as “hot air,” accusing the leadership
of inconsistency.
“When we wanted him to go, they shielded him. And now that they
have fallen out, they want us to impeach the governor. I’m not part of it,”
Lore said.
South C MCA Abbas Khalif, who is eyeing the Lang’ata parliamentary
seat, also rubbished the motion. “It is going nowhere because Sakaja is here to
stay and will be here beyond 2027.”
Sakaja is said to have lobbied ODM MCAs in a separate meeting at
his Riverside office on Thursday, persuading some to abandon the plan.
As a result, several members are now quietly retreating from the
impeachment push.
Majority Leader Peter Imwatok declined to comment, referring
questions to Speaker Ngondi, who did not respond to calls.
But Roysambu MCA Sospeter Wamumbi insisted that MCAs will not let
Sakaja undermine their political survival.
“We as MCAs have resolved that if anyone stands in our way—be it
the governor, a CEC, or anyone else—we are ready to deal with them.”
Nairobi CBD MCA Mwaniki Kwenya also accused Sakaja of working with
opponents of sitting MCAs. “How can the governor work with our rivals when he
is supposed to coordinate development with us?”
This is the second time the assembly has attempted to impeach
Sakaja. The first effort, led by former Kariobangi North MCA Joel Munuve,
collapsed after his death in April this year.
Two separate petitions filed by the residents to remove the
governor were also dismissed by Ngondi.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The latest impeachment attempt against Sakaja reflects the
deepening rift between the governor and Nairobi’s county assembly.
While MCAs
cite incompetence and neglect of ward projects, Raila’s intervention highlights
ODM’s desire to maintain political stability in Nairobi ahead of 2027.
Still,
the underlying grievances—ranging from political rivalries to resource
control—remain unresolved, making further clashes almost inevitable.
ODM leader Raila Odinga with Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja./FILE
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