Sonko@100: The price Nairobi governor has paid for his new job
Assumption of office for Nairobi governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko has come at a ‘small price’ of discarding some of the things he loves, including his fancy wardrobe.
Sonko, for instance, has had to do away with the kinky hairstyles which so much defined him when he served as the MP for Makadara constituency and later Nairobi’s Senator.
Gone too are the fancy saggy and shredded jeans and lose t-shirts emblazoned with funny messages.
Crucially as well, is the absence of bling bling which Sonko has been synonymous with.
Today I attended Sunday Church Service at Redeemed Gospel Church, Huruma. Let’s pray for our wonderful country, Kenya.
Theme for today’s sermon was “Time for peace in Kenya has come. There is hope”. Let’s preach peace and holiness. pic.twitter.com/cahKcF7Ebb
— Mike Sonko (@MikeSonko) November 26, 2017
Sonko, the governor, is now a sharp dresser of fitting suits and matching ties, as was the case when he took the leading role in welcoming several heads of state and other dignitaries during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s swearing-in at Kasarani on Tuesday.
Nairobi will never be the same again from today. I shall work round the clock to guarantee efficient & timely services for all our residents pic.twitter.com/xPCeARkYLa
— Mike Sonko (@MikeSonko) August 21, 2017
CHOICE OF WORDS
Also, the governor, since taking over from Dr Evans Kidero in August, has embraced communicating in either English or Kiswahili as opposed to the Sonko of old whose lingua franca was Sheng.
His choice of words has also changed remarkably, save for the one occasion when he lost his rag and hurled unprintable words at Embakassi East MP Babu Owino.
That said, the governor still faces challenges expressing himself fluently in English, especially while reading speeches.
New looks aside, Sonko has maintained his philanthropic ways. He was at the forefront in mobilization of rescue efforts during the dormitory fire at Moi Girls High School, Nairobi and the tragic Lake Nakuru chopper crash.
He also stepped forward to assist a university student who resorted to pushing a handcart as a means of earning a living and paying his fees.
The governor also maintains his high rank within the ruling Jubilee Party where he is considered President Kenyatta’s point man in the capital.
I have pledged to support Mike by sponsoring his entire secondary education. I have also offered his mother, who is a single parent, capital to establish a business. Mike is one of the many children whose potentials are never fulfilled due to life’s challenges. pic.twitter.com/InbTaxn4iP
— Mike Sonko (@MikeSonko) November 26, 2017