The power tussle between Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and the recently established Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) has gone a notch higher, after the former refused to sign a bill allocating the latter Ksh15 billion for operations.
According to Sonko, the Nairobi County Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2020 contravened provisions of the law and should be revised by the County Assembly.
“I do hereby refuse to assent to the bill for the reasons contained in the attached memorandum, and accordingly, I do hereby refer the bill back to the Assembly for consideration in accordance with section 24(3) (4) and (5) of the County Governments Act,” he said in an letter dated April 15.
Read: Nairobi Governor Sonko Clashes With Public Service Commission Over Transfer Of 6052 County Staff
Sonko argues that the County Assembly irregularly transferred and allocated the monies in the bill, even to functions that were never transferred to NMS.
However, according to speaker of the County Assembly Beatrice Elachi, the Members of County Assembly never broke any law, and Sonko is engaging in power games despite ceding some functions to the Central Government.
“I was expecting it. If he cannot respect what he singed at State House then he should come out and say so, not open a fight with the assembly as we are only following the law,” said Elachi, as quoted by the Nation.
“It is his budget yet he says he has rejected it, meaning he does not need a budget. He should have just returned it with reservations,” she added.
Read: NMS Boss Major Gen Badi Responds After Sonko Cancelled Staff Transfer To PSC
Sonko signed a deal with the National Government on February 25 to hand over some functions to the latter, and a official hand over ceremony held on March 18.
Among the functions handed over to the national Government include County Health services, County Transport services, County Public Works, Utilities and Ancillary services and County Government Planning and Development.
Staffers these departments such as doctors, nurses, engineers and urban planners were seconded to the national government.
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