Nairobi governor Mike Sonko at a past event. [PHOTO/Tuko]
Just days after Polycarp Igathe resigned as the deputy governor of Nairobi, a close analysis of events shows how Governor Mike Sonko seems to have declared an all-out war with what is said to be State operatives out to contain him.
After months of speculation of a possible conflict of interests for Nairobi, the fight finally went out of control last Friday with Igathe's resignation.
The fight is said to have begun long before the elections as Sonko never wanted to work with Igathe as his deputy.
State House however 'fixed' the former Vivo MD to Sonko, and this meant that he was the eyes of State House at City Hall.
“It is indeed the President who ultimately helped on matters campaign in as much as Sonko did his mobilisation,” said Mike Sonko's senior political advisor Onchari Oyieyo.
“The understanding was that Igathe would run the county government like a manager while Sonko handles the political component. What Igathe has refused to appreciate is that there exists a fair share of legal limitations which makes it impossible for Igathe to become the kind of manager he had wanted to become,” claimed Onchari.
Their battles are said to have soared when Igathe allegedly conspired with others and lied to Sonko that President Uhuru Kenyatta wanted Mr Kariuki appointed county secretary.
“The governor agreed because he is close to the President and would not have wanted to undermine a recommendation from State House,” said Onchari.
“However, following some consultations, we discovered that Kariuki was in fact an impostor. If the President wanted Kariuki to be county secretary, he would have told the governor the way he told him when recommending the nomination of Elachi as County Assembly speaker,” he said.
It is said State House was also trying to synchronise some of the dockets at City Hall with the national government, a move which Igathe was working for.
But the governor said no, igniting more fire.
“The governor felt he was being undermined and the deputy felt he had been handed powers over the affairs of the county,” said a Jubilee MP quoted by the Standard.
So far, Sonko has not come to the public to speak after Igathe's resignation.