Nairobi County is just a step away from getting a new deputy governor after MCAs approved Governor Ann Kananu’s nominee Paul Mutungi.
After a two-hour vetting on Thursday morning, the ward representatives overwhelmingly gave a thumbs up for Mr Mutungi, with 89 MCAs voting in the affirmative, paving the way for his eventual swearing-in.
Mr Mutungi was nominated for the position last week immediately after Kananu took the oath of office as Nairobi’s third governor.
Speaking after tabling the committee’s report, Majority Leader Abdi Guyo said: “Mr Mutungi is up to the task and I am sure he, together with Ms Kananu, will steer the county government, and NMS to greater heights.”
Minority Leader Michael Ogada said City Hall is too big to be run by one person without assistance, saying Mr Mutungi’s vast experience in county matters, having served in various positions in the defunct council, make him a good fit.
“We thank the governor for not wasting time to give us a deputy governor. These are some of the issues that faced the county government because we used to operate without a deputy governor. We now hope for the best,” said Mr Ogada.
“We are happy that this young man from Mbotela, a hawker in Gikomba, will now lead the people of Nairobi,” said Minority Whip Peter Imwatok.
During the vetting, though, the chief of staff faced a litany of accusations, ranging from corruption to land grabbing.
Appearing before the Nairobi County Assembly’s Appointments Committee, he was taken to task over damning memorandums received by the committee from the public over his past.
The incriminatory memorandum accused the former Mbotela councillor of land grabbing in relation to Kayole evictions, corruption, with a case underway at the High Court, and sabotaging a housing project in Makongeni, Nairobi.
But Mr Mutungi denied the allegations, saying he could account for all the land under his name and his net worth of between Sh80 and Sh100 million while also adding that although his interest is in real estate, he has not sabotaged any housing project.
“Whatever was tabled before you is not known to me because I don’t deal with land matters at all. I have never been interested in any land in Kayole nor have I ever interfered with housing matters in Makongeni,” said the 47-year-old.
“Although my interest is in real estate, I can assure this committee that all the land I have either I inherited or purchased through the normal way.”
On the corruption allegation, he is accused of allegedly receiving Sh5 million in 2014 as part of a web of 10 individuals accused of siphoning Sh58.8 million from City Hall during former governor Evans Kidero’s tenure.
Mr Mutungi did not comment on the matter, saying it was still before the court and he could not speak about it, but he stressed that he had never received any bribe in all his years in public service.
“There is a case in the High Court and being a matter in court, I may not be privileged to comment on it because it may prejudice the matter,” he said.
Asked by the Speaker Benson Mutura-led committee on why he thought he should be the next deputy governor, Mr Mutungi cited a stellar track record in public service.
He pointed out that he diligently served the defunct city council in various positions, from councillor for 15 years and director at the Nairobi Water Company to the Nairobi Liquor Board and as chairperson of the finance committee during his time as a councillor.
“I have the education and skills to serve Nairobi diligently as their deputy governor and as the principal adviser to the governor,” he said.
On the fate of Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), Mr Mutungi fell short of saying he did not support extending its term, saying that those charged with leading the county government should do better so as to avoid being caught up in a similar situation in the future.
He said that a performance-based approach should be adopted to ensure better services are at the heart of operations in the county government.
“Civil duties need civil solutions because we are a local government and our problems are local and cannot be taken to the national government,” he said.
“By the time a hawker gets to Mr [Mohamed] Badi, [NMS director-general], he would already be in jail because of the steps he has to go through, but a hawker is just a call away from the MCA of that area,” said the Aquinas High School alumnus.
