Johnson Sakaja unveils ‘Cry, the beloved county’ hit in style
Since the inception of devolution, Kenya has been treated to interesting species of governors with Prof John Lonyangapuo’s expeditions and Cyprian Awiti’s dancing exertions making the charts.
However, Nairobi has been unrivalled in terms of its unique governors who will forever be remembered for their drama rather than service delivery to the people.
From ‘Kidero slap’, Mike Sonko leaks and recording escapades to Ann Kananu’s travails, Nairobi has had its fair share of interesting leaders.
For what it lacks in positive accolades, it makes up for with fascinating political leaders who rarely fail to put on a show.
The late David Mwenje, Reuben Ndolo, Ferdinand Waititu alias Babayao and now Babu Owino; Nairobi will easily pass as the House of Drama.
On Tuesday, Governor Johnson Sakaja was seen weeping in public during the launch of a feeding programme at Roysambu Primary School.
He said he could not hold his tears as he remembered the struggles of children who go to school while hungry.
“The reason why I broke down, I was just remembering the resistance to this programme. I have been going to schools and the kids (sic) would run to me and you could see how they are reacting to food,” said the governor, who has said he is determined to transform the capital city.
While movie directors struggle to have actors cry on set, in Nairobi the tears flow more freely than water in the garbage filled Nairobi River.
Seriousness aside, Saks, as he is popularly known, has served the city as nominated MP, senator and is now a month shy of one year into office as governor.
However, here he was, shocked at the state of affairs in the city. No wonder a netizen summed up the incident by joking that the emotional governor must have been Minnesota governor and is in Nairobi for a three-day visit.
Give it up to him, the former senator will always hit the headlines whether for good or bad reasons as drama and controversy has been a bedfellow of the one-time rapper.
In the lead up to August 2022 elections, he hit the limelight over his questionable university degree. It is a storm he weathered and won the August 2022 polls.
At the height of Covid-19 crisis, Mr Sakaja was arrested for flouting containment rules while he was the chairperson of the Senate ad-hoc committee on Covid-19. But he pulled a fast one saying he was not aware of such an arrest before eating a humble pie.
During his swearing in, Governor Sakaja recounted how at the age of seven years, he managed to organise and execute a major demonstration somewhere in Ngara or Pangani Estate over the poor state of affairs there.
But these are Kenyan politicians. They can do anything and everything just to be politicians. They will eat roasted maize or share a meal with you in a kibandaski in solidarity with your poverty, then immediately leave to go “eat” your money.
