Two senior officials in Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration are facing censure and possible dismissal, as a storm brews inside City Hall over incompetence, defiance, and abuse of office.
This follows a series of disagreements within the committees, where members have expressed their frustrations regarding the lack of accountability and the inability of the county officials to explain the county government’s working.
The two officials, Health CEC Suzanne Silantoi and Lydia Mathia, the Chief Officer in charge of Housing and Urban Renewal, have since been threatened with a censure motion.
Nairobi City County Health, Wellness and Nutrition County Executive Committee member Suzanne Silantoi.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
A censure motion in legislative proceedings is a formal expression of strong disapproval or criticism of a person's conduct. In legislative processes, it is used to express displeasure without necessarily leading to formal consequences like removal from office.
Nairobi Assembly Health Committee Chairperson Maurice Ochieng said on regular occasions the county CEC has defied invites on oversight by the county assembly. Ms Silantoi oversees Mr Sakaja’s ambitious school feeding program.
“We have called the CEC to respond to statements asked but she does not respond and she does not appear. She goes ahead to write invites all the way from the month of March. We will take action,” he said.
Mr Otieno revealed that the county minister has been summoned five times to the committee to respond to issues affecting residents of Nairobi but she has consistently sought adjournment and postponement once called upon.
“The committee is concerned on the suitability on Ms Silantoi being the CEC for health and we are in consideration of mentioning her as an incompetent officer in the government of Nairobi. As the assembly, we are going to come up with a recommendation that we get someone suitable to serve in the position,” he said regarding the conduct of the county minister.
Ms Mathia who is in charge of the renewable housing program has also been censured by the county assembly. While reading riot act to Ms Mathia, the Assembly Majority Leader, Peter Imwatok, accused the chief officer of being disrespectful and incompetent in her role.
“This lady is abusive. She should not be in office. We are expecting the County Secretary to give us a response. Failure to, we will deal with the CS. Speaker, prepare the lawyers for us. As we speak here, let him be speaking in court with his culprits,” Mr Imwatok said.
The MCA alleged that there were complaints from the executive side, where the staff raised their concerns over Ms Mathia’s conduct.
“If Lydia Mathia continue threatening officers, because also officers have a problem with her, the officers from the other said,” Mr Imwatok said.
Accordingly, the Majority Leader directed chairpersons of all the assembly committees to be active in their oversight roles, and to make their decisions without fear and intimidation from the County Executive Committee members and Chief Officers.
“I’m reprimanding all the chairs, any officer, in your committees, do not allow any officer to intimidate you. We are going to do this without malice. We are going to do it with a lot of honesty.”
Last month, the Assembly unanimously passed a censure motion against Ms Mathia, accusing her of gross misconduct, abuse of office, violation of human rights, and disobedience of court orders.
She was accused of continuing to use goons to evict residents from the county estates, claiming that they were delaying the governor’s project of constructing affordable houses on such estates.
On Tuesday, the chairperson of the Nairobi County Public Service Board Thomas Kasoa said that the board has not taken any action against the censured chief officer since it was yet to receive the letter from the Assembly Clerk.
Mr Imwatok assured MCAs that his office would fast track the matter with the office of the County Speaker and that of County Clerk.
She is in charge of the affordable housing programme that seeks to renovate and convert the city’s old estates. A section of Nairobi residents, particularly in government-owned estates like Jeevanjee, Pangani, and Kaloleni, were forcibly relocated often with little notice or proper compensation.
Community leaders and civil society groups have decried the process as opaque and coercive, accusing the county of riding roughshod over the rights of low-income tenants in its quest to appease developers.
In some instances, residents returned to find their homes demolished and their possessions discarded. The evictions, carried out under the watch of Ms Mathia’s department, have become a flashpoint in the public’s growing disillusionment with the promise of affordable homes.
