This archive report was first published on 17 October 2019.
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has been left helpless in the face of corruption cartels at City Hall, prompting him to seek the intervention of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Speaking during the launch of the Nairobi Expressway on Wednesday, Sonko acknowledged that his administration was struggling to tackle the corruption scourge, which he described as 'exponential'.
He told Uhuru that the recent Precious Talents School tragedy, which resulted in the deaths of eight children, was a direct consequence of laziness within his administration.
Sonko also revealed that his plans to sack corrupt county staff had been thwarted by cartels that were trying to protect some county officials, who were 'beneficiaries' of the corrupt system.
The governor further admitted that cartels had hijacked efforts to bank revenue collection, and he urged Uhuru to intervene and allow the national government to collect the city's revenue.
“Lakini rais ile cartel tunaojaribu kudismantle hii Nairobi itafika mahali Mweshimiwa rais uingilie,” Sonko said, which translates to, “Mr President, the magnitude of the cartel we’re trying to dismantle requires for your intervention.”
