Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has publicly rebuked ODM governors for failing to utilize public funds effectively, singling out Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko as a benchmark for performance.
The remarks emerged during a private lunch meeting at Jamia Mosque in Nairobi, where Odinga addressed a group of regional leaders including Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho and Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko. A senior aide to one of the governors confirmed the encounter, describing the atmosphere as tense.
Odinga specifically criticized governors from Nyanza, Kisumu, and Nyamira counties for what he called poor governance. He contrasted Sonko's record with those he deemed underperforming, noting improvements in Nairobi's wards while questioning the lack of tangible progress elsewhere.
"I am the one who brought devolution but my own governors have let me down completely. Look at Nairobi County, Sonko here has done better than most of you because he has improved Nairobi. If you look at every ward in Nairobi, something is going on. But my own governors have let me down completely. The other day you embarrassed me at the devolution conference. You had nothing to display. I was shocked that Mzee Nyagarama displayed bananas cabbages while others exhibited fish as if they create that fish."
The former prime minister also expressed frustration over the lack of substantive projects presented at a recent devolution conference in Kirinyaga County, where some governors showcased minimal or symbolic items.
