President Uhuru Kenyatta. [Photo/buzzkenya.co.ke]
An investigative piece in The Star has reached the conclusion that President Uhuru is calling shots on key decisions touching on Nairobi County, with Governor Sonko playing ''third fiddle'' after his deputy Polycarp Igathe.
The story paints a telling picture of a governor under siege by a president keen on imposing his agenda.
In the 2017 campaigns, President Uhuru Kenyatta made a passionate appeal to Nairobi residents to elect a Jubilee governor who would work smoothly with the central government to transform the county into a world-class city.
The president argued that an opposition governor would make it extremely difficult for the two levels of government to work together.
It is not difficult to see why the president made that impassioned appeal to Nairobians: Nairobi is critical to the national government as it hosts virtually all government ministries and offices.
The city also makes the highest contribution to the national revenue.
Now, the president's dream has come true.
It is the ideal situation Uhuru had craved for, according to the Star, and he is now making critical decisions for the county that will have a bearing on its policy direction.
In a meeting held at the president's office, Sonko was asked to concentrate on politics and allow his deputy room to shape Nairobi's policy.
Sonko is said to have nodded his head grudgingly to the president's orders.
Questions are now being asked in the wake of the revelations of the president's influence at City Hall.
Many fear that the imposition of the president's agenda on Nairobi might undermine development in Nairobi suburbs.
The feeling is Governor Sonko has a better understanding of what Nairobi residents are going through than the president.