Sakaja to Gachagua: Let’s discuss instead of taking disagreements to the public

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has spoken to his ongoing war of words with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on the former’s plans to kick out matatus from the Central Business District (CBD) and crack down on nightclubs.

The two leaders have locked horns on the issues as Sakaja holds that has the full backing of the President William Ruto to restore what he calls the city's lost glory by relocating public service vehicle termini and kick out nightclubs operating in residential areas.

On Sunday, the deputy president asked matatu operators and city business-people to ignore Sakaja and continue with their businesses, assuring them of government protection against the plan he argues will stifle the economy of Nairobi.

However, Sakaja on Tuesday said he is not in a fight with Gachagua, adding that the DP should discuss the matter with him instead of waging war on the governor in public gatherings.

“I am not in a fight with the deputy president. I respect him as an old man and he is at a higher position than me in terms of the party,” said Sakaja in an interview with Inooro TV.

“There is a way the national government should relate with the county governments. Although I do not want to speak much about him because he is my boss, there might be somewhere we disagreed and it would be best for us to sit and discuss instead of taking them to the public.”

Sakaja said Gachagua should forge a good working relationship with the county’s leadership, noting that the president has been supporting him since his election as county boss in August last year.

“Nairobi will always have special relationship with the National government. What I have done so far is because of the president,” he said.

Gachagua had claimed Kikuyus are the ones who elected Sakaja, saying on December 20, “I mobilized Kikuyus in Nairobi to vote for him and called him. Any decision that he makes which may affect business in Nairobi, we must first sit and discuss.”

To this, Sakaja accused the DP of victimhood, lies and using the project for political mileage. He said the plan is not targeting any ethnic community.

“That is a very bad way of putting it. It is a lie. There is no community being targeted in all these projects and we have had meetings with SACCOs to discuss how we can have order while still supporting business,” said Sakaja.

“These people are just using this thing for political mileage. If anything, matatus from the Western region plying Waiyaki Way were the ones affected during the festive season. Why would I wake up and decide to declare war on a certain community?”

Sakaja further reiterated that he will not relent on the crackdown on nightclubs in residential areas, saying any politician terming it as a war on businesses is misleading people.

“Two wrongs do not make a right. There is a law that says there should not be discos in estates. I have no problem with bars and restaurants. But overnight discos? We must be considerate of others and have do business with order,” he said.

“In my meetings with them we said they would soundproof and we will not compromise on that,” added the governor.

Under the proposed de-congestion plan, all PSVs plying will pick and drop passengers at the Green Park, Desai and Park Road bus termini, as well as the Muthurwa and Railway Club termini.

Gachagua is of the view that moving Matatus to the termini disadvantages city traders who need move large amounts of cargo in and out of the city.

On Sunday, he argued that those calling for decongestion of the city are dwellers of suburbs whose livelihoods do not depend on accessibility to the CBD.

President William Ruto has since assured Sakaja of his support in getting rid of night clubs in the select areas.