Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko was on Monday, November 30 arrested and detained before being released shortly after.
Sonko was arrested in Nairobi’s Riverside area where he had scheduled a meeting with Members of the Nairobi County Assembly (MCAs) at the home of a city tycoon.
With an impeachment motion against him looming at the assembly, the meeting was expected to spell out Sonko’s strategy.
A large contingent of at least 40 police officers arrived to undertake the dramatic arrest, even as a section of his supporters protested at the venue.
Teargas was fired by the police officers to disperse those who had gathered.
The officers eventually secured the venue, with MCAs among those seen scampering for safety.
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The embattled Governor has been locked in a battle with the Major General Mohammed Badi-led Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) in recent months.
Sonko signed a deed transferring four key county functions to the national government.
He accuses the NMS, which was tasked with executing the functions, however, of overstepping its mandate.
In October, he rejected the Ksh37.7 billion Appropriation Bill, claiming illegal amendments had been made to the budget.
The budget saw Ksh27.1 billion allocated to the NMS to undertake its functions, with Sonko’s administration allocated Ksh6.4 billion and the Nairobi County Assembly allocated Ksh2 billion.
Sonko sent the bill back to the county assembly with a memorandum to be considered.
“The county assembly adopted the submitted budget estimates with amendments on June 30,2020. The proposed amendments were re-allocations and did not result to an increase of the budget from the submitted subject of Ksh31.4 billion.
“I have reviewed the bill as presented to me for assent and the total budget for FY 2020-21 Ksh31.6 billon against Ksh37.4 billion leaving a deficit of Ksh5.8 billion which is against the Public Finance Management regulations 31 (c) which provides that the total budgeted revenue and budgeted expenditure must be balanced,” the memorandum read in part.
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The NMS is an illegal entity. The people of Nairobi voted for a Governor, not Mbadi. Why I think that if they cannot respect the current Constitution, and institutions mandated by the same, what will make them respect the BBI amendments?