Igathe to vacate Deputy Governor’s office today
By EVELYNE MUSAMBINairobi deputy governor Polycarp Igathe will vacate office on Wednesday afternoon after the expiry of his resignation notice.
If the resignation letter he wrote on January 11 stands, Nairobi County will after Wednesday 1pm cease having a deputy governor.
Igathe’s resignation came after a culmination of months of uneasy relations with his boss governor Mike Sonko.
When he abruptly quit his job about three weeks ago, Igathe cited his failure to win trust from Sonko.
“I regret I have failed to earn the trust of the Governor to enable me to drive Admin & Management of the county,” his resignation letter read in part.
A statement from City Hall later confirmed that the governor had received the resignation letter.
“Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko has received a letter of resignation from Deputy Governor Polycarp Igathe. The governor is considering the letter and will issue a comprehensive statement later,” read the statement.
RULED OUT TALKS
The governor never issued any comprehensive statement but when questioned by journalists on the sidelines of two events, he ruled out any talks.
On January 15, while opening the Nairobi MCA Sectoral Committee on Water and Sanitation workshop in Shanzu, Mombasa, the governor said he would work with other leaders.
“We have a good working relationship with leaders from all the parties. I will consult them on the way forward as we are all determined to serve the people of Nairobi.”
“I have professors with me and other elected leaders around. I have also been a senator, a Member of Parliament and God is there. Work will continue. We will serve our people and ensure they get what we promised them,” he said.
Days later on January 18 while opening a three-day workshop for Nairobi MCAs to discuss the budget-making process and implementation of the county’s ward development fund in Ruiru, Kiambu, Sonko ruled out talks with his deputy.
“I do not want to comment on that for now, it is a non-issue to me. I did not fire him, he decided to fire himself,” Sonko said then.