President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the establishment of Nairobi Metropolitan office on wednesday march 18, headed by Major General Abdalla Badi who served as the Base Commander at Moi Air Base, Nairobi. General Abdi has officially taken over the functions of Nairobi County that the embattled governor Mike Sonko had surrendered to the national government late last month.
Sonko is facing corruption charges and was barred from accessing his office last year, his efforts to nominate his alleged girlfriend as his deputy has been futile and his would be sycophants like the Nairobi County Speaker Beatrice Elachi are now turning their backs on him so he chose to surrender key functions to the national government. A less disruptive option that can buy him time until 2022 as he avoid going the ‘Waititu way’.
Errors pushed Sonko to surrender, save era
Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu was facing similar charges as Sonko, was barred from accessing his office last year and impeached by the senate in January 2020.
Sonko was most popularly elected governor in 2017 but barely six months into the job his deputy, Polycarp Igathe had resigned due to lack of respect and good relationship at work, with his deputy or any staff who questioned him.
During the official transfer of the functions, President Kenyatta said NMS will be responsible in improving services in the city, including implementation of a new rail transport system in efforts at transforming Nairobi into a modern city.
The president chose a military man for this job not a politician who would play cat and mouse games. General Abdalla was chosen for the job and he will be deputized by the Principal Secretary Physical Planning Enos Onyango Momanyi as a representative of the national government.
“First I will task them to bring an end to the corruption and to dismantle the cartels that have hindered the development of this county. I know that this is a tall order but to you who have been charged with this responsibility, I pledge that I will ensure that you are fully supported by the government in all ways possible to ensure that this goal is achieved” President Kenyatta said.
General Badi’s appointment is the latest show of trust the president has in military and intelligence men, many senior offices in his adminstration have been headed by former members of either the military or intelligence service including the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC), Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), Financial Reporting Centre (FRC), National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) and the Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS).
He is using the men to completely render Sonko ‘a lame duck’ living to his own pronouncements ahead of the 2017 polls. Sonko publicly said that he would be a figurehead governor handling the political interests as the Igathe the technocrat would handle administration, management and boardroom issues.
The does not spell the functions of the governor and his deputy like that but Jubilee Party had no stronger and more popular candidate than Sonko to end the reign of ODM man, Evans Kidero whom they accused of being corrupt and siphoning from the county coffers.
The embattled governor’s fame and popularity is now under the military fatigues and helmet after he signed and transfred key functions including transport and planning to Maj. General Badi Ali.
He is decorated Kenya Air Force (KAF) General with many years of experience, having served in several high-ranking positions within the military. He was promoted from a Colonel to the rank of a Brigadier in 2014 President Kenyatta then further appointed to sever as the Base Commander at Moi Air Base in Eastleigh, Nairobi.
The move was part of a major shake-up in the military that saw several others promoted including Brigadier Francis Omondi Ogolla who was appointed Deputy Commander of the Kenya Air Force.
In May 2019, Brigadier Badi was promoted to the rank of Major-General by the president, during the same time he also served as Senior Directing Staff – Air at the National Defence College (NDC).
