‘I’m not scared,’ Badi dismisses Sonko’s withdrawal from NMS agreement

Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) Director General Major-General Mohamed Abdalla Badi has downplayed the move by Governor Mike Sonko to withdraw from the agreement that saw NMS take control of key operations of the City.

Major-General Badi says he is not concerned by Sonko’s action and that NMS will continue delivering on its mandate assigned by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

“I’m not scared by the Governor’s move to head to court. For us at NMS we are proud of the services we are delivering to Nairobi residents to improve their livelihoods,” said Badi.

“It is not our work to go to court. The Office of the Attorney General will represent us (NMS) and we shall follow directions from the National Government.”

The NMS boss reiterated that NMS was formed in the interests of Nairobi residents who had been deprived to key services after the Governor was barred from office following his prosecution on corruption-related charges.

He added that should in any case NMS be disbanded, the entire team would just go back to serving in their previous positions where they were handpicked from.

“When NMS was formed we were picked from different departments to come and work in NMS. So with or without NMS each one of us can go back to their department and continue with the job he/she was doing before NMS was formed.

“But I’m hoping that the courts will put put into consideration the importance of NMS in making their decision,” added the military man.

Sonko, in a letter dated July 24, 2020, expressed his intent to terminate the Deed of Transfer of four critical functions from the County Government to the National Government, citing illegalities in the agreement.

The Governor claims he has been sidelined in the running of Kenya’s capital city, and is contesting the appointment of military officers, led by Major General Abdalla Badi to run Nairobi.

Sonko, who was also barred from accessing his city hall office as he battles graft charges, now accuses President Kenyatta’s administration of bullying him. He holds the opinion that the Deed of Transfer is fatally flawed from the onset and beyond any redemption.

The process of opting out of the deed of transfer that is to last for a period of 24 months is lengthy, and at the governor’s disadvantage.

Clause 9.2 of the deed provides that the functions can only revert to the county administration by mutual written consent between the two levels of government.

Clause 11.2 requires the two parties to seek amicable solutions to any dispute that may arise, and should the stalemate persist, the matter shall be referred to the National and County Governments Coordinating summit, that is chaired by the President.