Nairobi News

Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) Director General Mohammed Badi has defended his administration against accusation of militarising the capital.

This, even as he told off Governor Mike Sonko over their constant feuds especially the recent one over former Mayor’s residence in Lavington.

Major General Badi said that NMS has 7,500 personnel, out of which only six are from the military seconded to the new outfit by the Kenya Defence Council.

“Each and every officer in NMS has been seconded. We did not propose or come here by ourselves. The other officers are recruited by public service commission. If there are six military officers that were posted out of the 7,500 personnel at NMS, do you call that militarisation?” posed the NMS DG.

On the contested governor’s residence, Mr Badi accused the governor of politicising the matter.

He said that prior to NMS repossessing the property, it had been vacant for over two years only for Governor Sonko to come out claiming the house as soon after he announced his intent to renovate all county houses and reclaim grabbed public land.

Cannot answer on his behalf

“The Lavington residence is not the only house we are repairing. There are several others but why Sonko picked (to feud) over that one I do not know and I cannot answer on his behalf,” said Mr Badi.

The tussle between the two began on Tuesday last week after Governor Sonko announced that that he had repossessed the former Mayor’s residence after it was surrendered by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and announced plans to renovate the house for it to serve as the official residence of the Governor.

But Maj Gen Badi came out to warn the City Hall boss against going into the property saying it is now under tight security.

He, however, pointed out that the governor can move into the residence after they are done with the renovation works.

“We are taking up all county houses that have been dilapidated and we want to build them so that more staff will have more housing. If he (Sonko) wants to enter it he waits for us to rebuild it and he can enter it. After all, it belongs to the county,” he said.

Meanwhile, NMS has announced a raft of measures it is implementing in Nairobi County in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

NMS Director of Health Services Dr Josephine Mbae said they are putting up a makeshift facility at Mbagathi Hospital with 160 beds which should be ready by next week.

Additionally, another 20 treatment beds have been set up at the same hospital while also renovation blocks A and B to yield another 78 beds for treatment with 10 of them being for ICU.

Nairobi County has been the epicenter of the Covid-19 and as of July 27, 2020 there was 10,575 positive cases and 134 deaths.

She further pointed out that they are in the process of procuring beds and other equipment to have a 70-bed capacity facility and 18 ICU beds within the new block at Mama Lucy Hospital.

“Moreover we are in process of setting up makeshift facilities at Mutuini Hospital with 100-bed capacity, a 400 beds facility at Kasarani centre and another at Mama Lucy,” said Dr Mbae.

For those not able to self-isolate, the NMS has set aside KMTC the Mary griffin hostel which has 90 beds, St Georges High School with 400 beds, Moi Girls with 400 beds.

Other centres being set up are in Nairobi School, Upper Hill, Kenya High school and Dagoreti high school.