Who runs Nairobi? Gachagua, Sakaja engage in war of words

Duputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Nairobi Governor Johnson Gachagua. [Standard, File]

Deputy Governor Rigathi Gachagua and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja renewed their rivalry on Friday, largely on who controls City politics.

Since last week when traders and Nairobi's Wakulima market were told to vacate, the two started taking on each other with the DP reminding Sakaja to stick to his manifesto of allowing traders to flourish.

In response, Sakaja through social media, said the DP ought to have called him over the Wakulima market issue.

Yesterday, while touring the market, the Deputy President reminded Sakaja to respect his promise of letting traders do their business and not disrespect them.

"Many have seen their children go to school because of work in this market which has been in existence for the last 30 years," he said.

He wondered why there are claims of congestion in the city after he was elected.

"This is the time to serve the Kenyan people and not indulge in politics. Let respect prevail. Let them know that if they insult me, they also do the same to the voters"

He said that anyone who needs support from the citizens should always be ready to support them.

But in a rejoinder, Sakaja while noting that he had restrained himself from responding to the DP noted that he has a mandate that will not let him fall for populist political gimmicks at the expense of the lives and safety of Nairobians.

"You have chosen to use falsehoods to incite traders against the measures we are taking," Sakaja stated.

He added that the county has no plan to relocate the Marikiti (Wakulima) market and that elected produce will be delivered wholesale to the other markets that have been built using taxpayers' money.

"What we will not allow are traders endangering their lives by selling their wares on the roadside. They will move to Kangundo Road market," Sakaja stated

Adding that, "However, if you have sufficient space outside your office on Harambee Avenue, I am sure they will be happy to display their wares and ply their trade in that safe environment,"

Even so their rivalry dates back to late 2022 when Governor Sakaja made an unsuccessful attempt to relocate matatu operators from the City centre to the multi-million shillings Green Park which was constructed by the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services.

This was the first time that the Deputy President seems to have won round one of the rivalry shifting another focus on the relocation of hawkers from the city centre by the county.

That was in 2023 when the DP hit out at the county boss telling him to leave alone and embrace them the same way he loved them during the campaign period.

"Those people who are rich were against us but the hustlers stood with us, that is why we ask the governors to respect those hustlers, they were responsible for the positions we have today," the DP stated.

And sometime in April this year, Gachagua promised that the national government would step in to rescue Nairobi County, alluding that many things were not running smoothly in the city.

"The President and I will ensure that city issues are in order. From now on, you will be seeing us regularly. We are going to take a keen interest in the welfare of this city."

Gachagua said that Nairobi is an important hub to be ignored, underscoring the need to bring back the glory of the city in the sun.

"We are going to do that not because we are voters here but because we are stakeholders here, our children were born in this city, they were raised here and our wealth is here in the city," DP said.

"If things are going well in Nairobi then we are happy. If things are going south, then we will fix it," he added.

In June, he two would cross each other's paths during the aborted UDA party chairmanship elections.

One of the candidates, James Gakuya who was facing Sakaja in the race was said to have been funded by Gachagua to clip Sakaja's political wings.

But after months of campaigning, the city polls were never held, giving Sakakja a score against the DP since the governor remains the top elected leader under the party.