Sifuna to Gachagua: "You will not make Nairobi a large kiosk paradise or a big matatu terminus!"

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has told off Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua following his sentiments over the management of Nairobi County.

In a statement sent to Newsrooms, Sifuna has said that Gachagua is "effortlessly turning himself into a national joke" and told him to back off from county affairs.

"DP Rigathi Gachagua is effortlessly turning himself into a national joke, delivering illegal decrees and generally behaving like a DO in a bygone era.

"The 2010 constitution in creating devolved units made them distinct governments in their own right. They are therefore not subject to the direction or control of the national government. The governors do not report to Gachagua. He has no power over county governments and must desist from interfering with their work," Sifuna said.

The ODM Secretary-General further said that Nairobi County will not be beholden to tribal blackmail.

"Nairobians have stated unequivocally that they want the city to change. Changing the city cannot happen by making it a large kiosk paradise or a big matatu terminus under the guise of "Kazi ni Kazi."

"In achieving this change, the Nairobi County government cannot and shall not be beholden to tribal blackmail, loose tongues, or latter-day pseudo-Mau Mau and their fake "bravery". We must change how the city is run and one individual or tribe cannot hold all of Nairobi hostage," he added.

Sifuna's sentiments comes weeks after Gachagua cautioned Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja against his efforts to decongest Nairobi Central Business District.

"I have told Sakaja that we will have a sitting with him because we are the ones who elected him. I mobilised Kikuyus in Nairobi to vote for him. Any decision that he makes that may affect business in Nairobi, we must first sit and discuss.

“Hatutaki speedy mingi sana, twende pole pole. Hio maneno ya kutoa matatu, hio haiwezekani. Sitaki tuanze kusumbua wafanyi biashara," Gachagua said.