Is Sonko playing with our minds or is something sinister cooking?

At first when the news broke on social media, many people thought it was a joke, and one in very poor taste.

Reportedly, Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko had at last decided to pick a deputy and chosen the most unlikely of nominees, Mr Miguna Miguna, a man who has quite energetically contrived to antagonise everyone he comes into contact with, and one who sensationally succeeded in being deported from his own country.

A brilliant mind with an exceptionally abrasive tongue who evidently does not suffer fools gladly, Mr Miguna has never gone out of his way to endear himself to any other person, which is quite an admirable, if negative, trait.

His problem is that though he may not admit it, he seems to believe that everyone he quarrels or competes with is either mentally or intellectually retarded, one of the reasons he will never get very far in politics unless he learns the art of compromise.

JUBILEE PARTY
One major problem he faces at this moment is that both the Jubilee government and many in the opposition want him as far away as possible where he can only hurl insults on social media and during interviews conducted by foreign media in Western capitals.

That is why it was audacious of Governor Sonko to purport to nominate Mr Miguna as his deputy.

One can only conclude two things. Either Sonko has fallen out of favour with the Jubilee administration and is, therefore, thumbing his nose at it quite dramatically, or he wants a longer stint without a deputy and, therefore, fell on the ridiculous idea of choosing a man who is not likely to ever be endorsed by Jubilee for any office.

Whatever the case, Miguna has, quite wisely in many people’s views, declined the offer and firmly put Sonko in his place.

IGATHE RESIGNS
It is difficult to understand what games Sonko is playing.

Some people surmise that he is in a deep funk, first because he is clueless on how to manage the city or how to fight and defeat the corrupt cartels that control it — an important pledge he made while assuming office — and secondly because many in government have become disenchanted with the performance of a man they never wanted in the first place.

Attempts to impose on the county government an experienced manager to help the governor run the city in the person of Mr Polycarp Igathe came a cropper when the two could not get along, and the latter had no choice but to resign barely six months into his tenure.

Though Mr Igathe said in his resignation letter that he had failed to win the governor’s trust, it was clear the message was merely couched in diplomatic language to hide the real, ugly truth — that neither he nor Sonko could stand each other.

INCOMPETENCE
What is certain is that the government has never shown much confidence in Sonko’s abilities.

His performance in the past, his flamboyant manner of dress and general behaviour betrayed a decided lack of gravitas.

The man did not look like a governor, did not speak like one, and without political goodwill, had no way of fulfilling many of the promises he made.

Although he cites interference in his work by a few in the national government, his failures have deeper roots, and the evidence is all around.

The city is still congested with uncontrollable human and vehicular traffic.

If garbage is being collected, Nairobi would not be stinking to high heaven. Muggers are ruling the streets in broad daylight.

IMPEACHMENT

The drains are clogged, hawkers still colonise the pavements while street families and beggars are still an eyesore.

In other words, the county government has failed miserably, hence the attempt by the national government at damage control.

As a result, the word “impeachment” is floating in the air.

I have a sneaking sympathy for those calling for the takeover of Nairobi by the national government.

Of course to do so would set a bad precedent, open a Pandora’s Box and there would be no end to the litigation that would follow, but that drastic step may have to be taken eventually if the city is to be restored to a semblance of its long-lost glory.

The one thing that’s certain is that, in the unlikely event that Mr Miguna accepted the nomination, he would be the wrong person for the job in the present circumstances.

Mr Ngwiri is a consultant editor. [email protected]