Mike Sonko suspends top county officials after school tragedy

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, who has suspended 14 county officials following the tragedy at a primary school in Dagoretti. PHOTO | KANYIRI WAHITO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • In a statement, the governor said the move will allow investigators conduct impartial probe into the Monday tragedy that claimed the lives of eight primary school children.

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko on Wednesday suspended two county ministers and 14 other top officials over the collapsed Precious Talent School.

The suspended CECs are Charles Kerich (Finance) and Mohammed Dagane (Health).

In a statement, the governor said the move will allow investigators conduct impartial probe into the Monday tragedy that claimed the lives of eight primary school children.

ROT AT CITY HALL

“I will not leave any stone unturned until we reverse the effects of the impunity that was spearheaded

Others who were sent home are Justus Kathenge (county chief officer for urban planning), Jusper Ndeke (director planning compliance and enforcement), Dominic Mutegi (development management director and Ochanda Ondari Fredrick (assistant director enforcement).

Ruth Waruguru (director, Urban Planning), Thomas Dudi (assistant director planning), Simon Onyango (development officer in charge of regularisation of buildings/approval of architectural plans), Alex Mucheru (development control in charge of overseeing approvals of buildings and schools on behalf of public health and safety), Mackline Saitera (development control in charge of approving building plans and school inspection) and Edna Guantai (approval of public buildings and schools on behalf of public health).

Also affected are Joyce Kyengo (Dagoretti South sub-county administrator), Lucy Wairimu Munyika (Dagoretti South sub-county commander), Sylivia Mwikali Nthinga (Dagoretti South sub-county planning officer) and Okal Kennedy (Ngando Ward administrator).

Mr Kerich became the governor’s ‘Mr Fix It’ in 2018. He was the ‘go-to county executive’ whenever Mr Sonko was making changes in his cabinet having held fort at four county departments since 2017.

Apart from the ICT and e-government that he was vetted for, Mr Kerich had been at the helm of Finance and Health dockets in an acting capacity and has also served as the Lands, Urban Renewal and Housing department executive.

He was until his suspension  holding both the Lands and Health dockets, the latter in an acting capacity following the suspension of Veska Kangogo, who was interestingly also holding the position in an acting capacity after the suspension of Hitan Majevdia in July this year.