Former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko has accused several members of the current Nairobi County Government of misleading Governor Johnson Sakaja regarding the ownership of land title deeds for the affordable housing projects in Ngara and Jeevanjee.
Speaking from his Upper Hill office, Sonko dismissed claims that he was holding two title deeds related to the housing projects. He singled out Finance CEC Charles Kerich and Lands CEC Sg Mwangi, criticizing them for allegedly misinforming the Nairobi County Planning Committee.
“Kerich and Sg Mwangi are misleading the public. They were present when the projects began and know that the title deeds are not in my possession. They are held by National Bank, which acted as a guarantor for the Nairobi County’s KSh 1.9 billion loan for these housing projects,” Sonko stated.
The former governor called on Governor Sakaja to investigate the matter and accused his cabinet members of trying to tarnish his name by falsely suggesting that he held the deeds. He emphasized that the delays in completing the Ngara and Jeevanjee housing projects should be attributed to the current county administration.
“On May 23, 2023, Nairobi County used the title deeds to secure a KSh 1.9 billion loan. I was no longer governor at that time. Sg Mwangi and Kerich should complete the projects instead of deflecting blame onto me,” Sonko asserted.
Sonko also noted that when the housing projects were initiated under his administration, he compensated tenants with KSh 600,000 each. However, he expressed concern that many tenants have not yet received housing, warning that they could lose their homes if political disputes over ownership continue.
“I urge Governor Sakaja to be cautious. Some of his CECs, who worked under me, know the truth about these projects but are not telling him,” Sonko said.
Sonko emphasized that the housing projects in Nairobi are beneficial, but he warned against political interference and diversion tactics that could undermine such a noble initiative.
“We compensated the tenants in the two projects, and they were supposed to receive housing afterward. Instead of addressing these matters, they are falsely accusing me,” he said.
Sonko also reiterated that the recent claims about him holding the title deeds are just political maneuvers aimed at avoiding the real issue of proper allocation. He suggested that politicians and cartels may have taken control of the projects and urged Governor Sakaja to investigate.
