Sonko to adopt Kibaki style in running city if elected governor

Nairobi Jubilee governor aspirant Mike Sonko and his running mate Polycap Igathe during a past rally. PHOTO | DPPS

What you need to know:

  • In an exclusive interview with Daily Nation Mr Sonko and his running mate Polycarp Igathe, said that the council would be charged with approving all major development contracts and payments.
  • Mr Sonko who lodged an unsuccessful case on the rise of taxes in the city said he will, within 100 days, lower taxes and exempt small businesses from taxes.

Nairobi senator Mike Sonko plans to have an economic advisory council to run the city, just like the one that guided former president Mwai Kibaki, if he is elected Governor on August 8.

In an exclusive interview with Daily Nation Mr Sonko and his running mate Polycarp Igathe, said that the council would be charged with approving all major development contracts and payments.

According to Mr Sonko, the council will be made up of senior counsels, professionals drawn from various fields and also representatives from affluent and less affluent estates in the city.

“The council will verify every contract. Such that before you are paid it will have seen that the work is done properly. We will have a new management style,” he said.

Mr Sonko has identified five key pillars that will be his guide to deliver if he wins.

CORRUPTION

They include Transport and traffic, health, safety and security, jobs and wealth creation, water, sanitation and garbage collection and finally social welfare of youth, women and people with disabilities.

“Nairobi’s greatest undoing is bad leadership at the moment. Nairobi contributes 60 per cent of GDP and we receive highest allocation from the national government but there is nothing to show for it, which points to poor leadership,” he said.

He said, on numerous times, he has sent letters to Ethics and Anticorruption Commission (EACC), Parliament and other institutions calling their attention to what he called “chronic corruption” at City Hall but to no avail.

He said to realise his vision, he will be ingenious and be a team player.

“I have addressed water shortage in the city even without access to county funds. I have 7 water boozers which have a capacity of delivering 300,000 litres to slums. That means with access to proper budget, water issues will be a thing of the past,” he said.

He said he will strive to replace all ‘colonial era water pipes’ with modern ones.

DISMISS REPORTS

On the vexing issue of traffic, Mr Sonko said he will hold talks with all stakeholders to plan well.

“We should not be having U-turns at Tom Mboya, and other roads. Remember I was once in matatu business so it’s easy for me to know where the problem is,” he said.

He dismissed reports that he had suggested to make Uhuru Park a matatu terminus.

Mr Sonko who lodged an unsuccessful case on the rise of taxes in the city said he will, within 100 days, lower taxes and exempt small businesses from taxes.

The senator says his focus on garbage collection will be thorough and well-coordinated.

“In some European countries, garbage is used to produce energy. In fact some countries import garbage. There was such a plan in but because of thirst for kick-backs it was shelved,” he said.

CREATE JOBS

He suggested that to solve the hawkers’ menace, roads should be closed at night so as to give them equal opportunity.

Mr Igathe said they will focus on ‘common man’ problems instead of making utopian and grandiose promises that they cannot deliver.

“Every promise we make is geared to creating jobs for the youth,” he said.

“In ten years we would like to see Nairobi marathon held at the riverbanks and not on our roads,” he said.