Sonko addressing journalists after recording statements at EACC. He is accompanied by his lawyer Cecil Miller. Photo/CFM.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 22- Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has assured city residents that corruption investigations facing him will not affect service delivery in the county.
Speaking in Ruai on Saturday, Sonko, who is being investigated by the Ethics and Corruption Commission (EACC) over a multi-million tender on garbage collection, said his challenges will not create any leadership vacuum at City Hall and urged city residents not to feel burdened by his woes.
“My focus is on development and l will not want to involve Nairobi residents in my problems if there are any, we have done a lot in the roads and transport sector, and our efforts to clean the city have continued to bear fruits,” Sonko stated.
The Nairobi County boss reiterated that he is proud of what his administration has achieved in the last two years and promised to do more.
He further stated that he will continue supporting President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Big Four agenda by initiating projects that are in line with it.
“I have always committed myself to fight corruption and no matter what is happening now, I will not be distracted. I can assure the President, the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission and both Director of Criminal Investigation and the Director of Public Prosecution that they all have my support in this course,” Sonko said.
Sonko has been reluctant to pick a deputy since Polycarp Igathe resigned in January 2018 citing frustration and failure to win the confidence of the embattled Governor who has twice been grilled by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for irregularly awarding garbage collection tenders.
The speculations that Sonko could find himself behind bars, hence creating a vacancy in his seat came after anti-graft detectives on September 10 grilled the Governor for close to 8 hours over alleged corrupt dealings involving garbage collection in the city.
Should the Governor be charged, Article 182 (4), provides that “if a vacancy occurs in the office of the county governor and that of the deputy governor, or if the deputy governor is unable to act, the Speaker of the County Assembly shall act as the County Governor.”
Sonko’s failure to appoint a deputy could, however, complicate administration at City Hall in the event he is barred from accessing office as has his Kiambu counterpart Ferdinand Waititu.
The County Assembly also lacks a substantive Speaker.
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