'We must change our city,' Sakaja responds to DP Gachagua on relocation of matatus

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja now says he will not back down on his Reform Agenda despite criticism from Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on his planned removal of matatu operators from the City’s Central Business District (CBD).

Barely a week after a section of leaders from the Mt. Kenya region came out in defence of the deputy president over his stance against reforms being taken by the governor, the embattled County boss says he won't relent as he is a man on a mission.  

Sakaja says he has the full backing of the Head of State on his transformational push to restore the City's lost glory.

"President William Ruto has extremely been supportive...I heard someone saying that ..' oooh Sakaja, hii Nairobi ilikuwa hivyo kabla uzaliwe, but that is why I am Governor...I cannot leave it to be how it was before I was born,” Sakaja said.

On 20th December 2022, DP Gachagua called on the Nairobi Governor to go slow on removing long-distance PSV operators from the City’s CBD.

"Sakaja ni kijana mzuri tutakaa chini tukubaline, tulimsaidia. Tutaketi tukubaliane vile tutakaa...na nimemuita tukae chini na yeye, mtu ambaye anaharibu biashara katika Nairobi kwanza tuongee tukubaliane. Hiyo maneno ya kutoa matatu nini, hiyo maneno haiwezi," Gachagua said while in Nyeri.

DP Gachagua's allies led by Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga warned the Nairobi Governor of a possible impeachment should he make good his threat to relocate long-distance PSVs from the City's CBD.

But Sakaja enjoys backing from a section of Western Kenya leaders, who have come to his defence, saying as the duly elected governor of Nairobi, he has the full constitutional mandate to shape the future of the City County.

 “You saw him threatening the good governor on Nairobi. If you don’t respect yourself as DP, we won’t respect you. We will bring a motion to impeach you, discuss your conduct and impeach you,” Bumula MP Jack Wamboka said.

 “Change is difficult but inevitable... we must change our city....to be that shining jewel on the African Continent,” Sakaja stated.

“We are not competing with Kisumu, we are competing with the first-class cities of this world, likes of New York. So we will make sure we have order."

The Gachagua - Sakaja public spat that is threatening to cause division in the ruling Coalition became a talking point in Wednesday's Presidential Joint Media Interview at State House Nairobi.

“The rift shows there's democracy in the party. We will continue offering guidance...maybe the new leaders don't consult much and are in a hurry to pass vital decisions,” President Ruto said in an interview on Wednesday.

Governor Sakaja responded to Gachagua's criticism while receiving a Health Task Force Report that recommended a systematic upgrade of the County's health sector including the addition of medical equipment and personnel.