Sonko: I’m using my money to beautify Nairobi – VIDEO
Nairobi governor Mike Sonko claims he has been digging deep into his pocket to fund the ongoing beautification of the Central Business District.
Sonko, who appeared before the Senate’s Public Accounts and Investments Committee, told Senators that spent millions to give the city a new face.
He claimed his philanthropic nature has driven him to improve a city that is dear to his heart.
The governor said that ahead of the Blue Economy Conference held in Nairobi last week, he spent Sh100,000 creating awareness about the conference on billboards erected along Mombasa Road.
When the committee questioned why he had opted to use his own money yet the county could fund the project, Sonko said the face lift programme is not in the county budget.
‘MY BLOOD’
“Nairobi is in my heart, Nairobi is in my blood, this is a pilot project. We want to transform Nairobi,” he said.
Sonko dared Senators to invite the Auditor General to audit the county’s expenditure to confirm if “a coin from the county coffers has been spent on beautification”.
“I am a philanthropist and my work is known,” Sonko added.
Asked how much the beautification project had cost him, he said: “That, I have to check on my bank statements because I use personal resources.”
“We bench marked in Kigali and Dubai, who spend on beautification. I was trying to implement to see if it works. We want to add it to the next budget, but for now it is my own money.”
The governor also mentioned that in two months time he will nominate a candidate to take up the position of deputy governor as well as unveil a new cabinet.