NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 15 – Thirdway Alliance party has termed Anne Kananu’s installation as Nairobi Deputy Governor unconstitutional saying the exercise was an illegal manoeuvre by a section of the political class to undermine the sovereign will of people.
“Never in our nation’s history have we witnessed such blatant state-sponsored attacks on constitutionalism and coup against the will of people to elect the leaders of their choice. Today’s event represent the clearest indication that the journey to a society guided by law is far from over,” the party, through its National Chairperson Miruru Waweru, said.
Waweru said the party will mount a legal challenge with an aim of defending the right of people of Nairobi to elect the leaders of their choice.
“These attacks with not so much success, will nevertheless not stop us and other progressive Kenyans against mounting legal challenge to not just defend the right of the people. Thirdway Alliance Kenya refuses to be this complacent bystander watching over a constitutional meltdown and doing nothing about it, we will act as always,” waweru said.
The party warned that such acts risk tearing the national fabric while delegating citizens to mere spectators in governing their own country.
Kananu, Nairobi’s Disaster Management Chief, was sworn in as the city’s Deputy Governor following her vetting and approval by the County Assembly on Friday.
Kananu was vetted by a 10-member appointments panel Friday morning in a session that lasted barely an hour with the team led by Assembly Majority Leader Abdi Guyo presenting its report to ward representatives at 11am for approval.
The newly inaugurated Deputy Governor had been nominated in January 2020 by then Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko who was later impeached in December 2020. Kananu’s vetting was however put on hold after a court suspended proceeding to consider the nomination pending the determination of a suit challenging Sonko’s decision.
The Deputy Governor hailed President Uhuru Kenyatta for supporting her nomination, pledging to work closely with the executive-appointed Nairobi Metropolitan Services to which four devolved functions were surrendered by the former administration.
Kananu is banking on the Assembly’s approval to become the Governor subsequent to her installation as Deputy Governor.
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