Meet the Former Nairobi Health Official Who Accuses Governor Sakaja of Stripping Him of Powers Before

A former Nairobi County official has accused Governor Johnson Sakaja of frustrating his work, stripping him of key responsibilities and sidelining him from county operations before his eventual dismissal.

In a strongly worded statement titled “Thanks My Boss Governor Sakaja!”, the former official claimed that his working relationship with the governor deteriorated on December 28, 2023, when he allegedly lost his constitutionally assigned mandate as an accounting officer.

According to the former official, Sakaja transferred his responsibilities to junior officers through what he described as an unprocedural memo.

He further alleged that the governor reduced his health budget from KSh 1.2 billion to KSh 100 million, leaving him without sufficient resources to execute his duties.

The former official claimed that the budget reduction was connected to his alleged refusal to facilitate direct procurement arrangements that would favour individuals close to the governor and certain contractors.

He also referred to an alleged WhatsApp conference call involving the governor and his Chief of Staff, Osman Khalifa, during which he claimed he was confronted over the matter.

The official further alleged that he was subsequently transferred to the Environment department, where his director reportedly communicated directly with the governor, leaving him with limited responsibilities.

Despite the alleged frustrations, he said he continued participating in street operations because he wanted to serve Nairobi residents.

He also recounted facing public criticism, attacks in official WhatsApp groups and a court case over alleged contempt of court that he claimed nearly resulted in six months’ imprisonment.

According to him, his subsequent transfer to the Customer Service department, which handles public participation and citizen engagement, followed his continued efforts to seek explanations about his treatment.

The former official said his last meeting with Sakaja took place on December 28, 2023, at the governor’s private office in Riverside. He claimed that subsequent attempts to discuss his grievances had been unsuccessful.

Despite the disagreements, he maintained that his desire had always been to improve county systems and deliver services to Nairobi residents rather than engage in political fights.

The former official also signalled his possible entry into the Nairobi gubernatorial race, claiming that residents had begun calling on him to serve as governor.

He said the challenges he had experienced had strengthened his resolve to seek leadership and address problems within the county administration.

In a further allegation, he claimed to have received information that preparations were underway for a court case intended to have him jailed. However, he did not provide details to substantiate the claim.

Governor Sakaja’s response to the allegations was not included in the statement.

The claims remain allegations and have not been independently verified.

Karifoti2 feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com