Sakaja responds to Gachagua: 'Keep Nairobi out of your ethnic diatribes'
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja on Friday September 20 came out guns blazing, calling out Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who had in the morning led MPs allied to him to castigate the county boss over his plans to relocate Marikiti (Wakulima) Market traders to Kangundo Road Market.
Mr Sakaja said Mr Gachagua’s move to visit the market, questioning the move was ill-intentioned and should not have come from a leader of the calibre of the Deputy President, whom he said should promote consultations, and “not stoke tribal disunity in our country.”
He said the DP had resorted to inciting some of the traders against the county government programmes, that include removing traders from road reserves.
“In a misinformed tribal diatribe, and while speaking in vernacular in the heart of our nation’s capital, you have chosen to use falsehoods to incite traders against the measures we are taking,” said Mr Sakaja in a statement.
The governor said his plans of relocating some of the traders was designed to protect them from accidents similar to what happened in Londiani in Kericho County, when a truck driver lost control and ploughed into traders selling their wares on road reserves.
During his tour of the market, Mr Gachagua asked the County Government of Nairobi to create a conducive environment for business people, especially the small-scale traders.
Keep the promise
“I received information that the traders are suffering and protesting against some policies of the City County Government. During the 2022 campaigns President William Ruto and I pledged that you (traders) won't suffer. We promised a conducive environment for traders. We urge the governor to keep the promise,” he said.
The governor, in the statement, explained that his administration has no plan to relocate the Marikiti Market.
“Selected produce will be delivered wholesale to the other markets we have built using taxpayers' money. What we will not allow are traders endangering their lives by selling their wares on the roadside. They will move to Kangundo Road Market. However, if you have sufficient space outside your office on Harambee Avenue, I am sure they will be happy to display their wares and ply their trade in that safe environment,” said the county boss.
He said that his government has continued to engage the traders, as opposed to claims by Mr Gachagua that there was no consultations with the traders.
“A leader of your calibre should provide informed solutions and not stoke tribal disunity in our country. Nairobi is a cosmopolitan global hub that will operate in an orderly manner,” Mr Sakaja told Mr Gachagua.
He went on: “I know you are dealing with other weighty and impending political issues. Keep the people of Nairobi out of it.”
