Sonko fails to name deputy, says he’s consulting with Nasa
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko failed to name his deputy governor nominee as he had promised, citing ongoing consultations with the opposition coalition Nasa.
The governor explained that the deferral has been necessitated by the need to allow for more consultation with Nasa who wrote a letter to him on January 10, 2019 in ‘the spirit of the March 9 handshake’.
Sonko said that he already had a nominee in mind, without mentioning the name, and was set to unveil the individual until a letter from Nasa requesting him to defer the exercise to give their nominee a chance to be considered reached him.
“I was ready with a nominee but I received a letter from Nasa requesting me to consider their nominee Rahab Wangui for the DG position. Therefore, I shall not be forwarding the name in the spirit of handshake to allow for more consultation,” said Governor Sonko in a press conference in Kilifi County.
This now prolongs the wait by Nairobi residents to have a substantive DG which has been dragging on for over a year now since the former holder of the position Polycarp Igathe resigned on January 12, 2018 citing a failure to earn his boss’s trust.
On Wednesday, the City Hall boss promised to reveal the identity of his pick for deputy governor whom he said will definitely be a woman.
In August last year, Sonko had shortlisted four women as the likely candidates for the position. They were seasoned politician and Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, corporate guru Agnes Kagure, lawyers Karen Nyamu and Jane Weru.
The latter two were the last women standing when the governor in late October last year released a statement saying that he had trimmed the earlier list.