Sakaja fires back after DP Gachagua hinted at reconfiguring Nairobi leadership

The clash, which came to a head on September 20, 2024, centers around the treatment of Nairobi’s informal traders, many of whom are protesting what they perceive as unfavorable policies enacted by the Nairobi County Government.

Deputy President Gachagua, during a recent tour of Wakulima Market, publicly rebuked Governor Sakaja's administration for allegedly failing to safeguard the interests of the traders who operate in the city.

Gachagua, speaking in both English, Swahili and Kikuyu, accused the Nairobi County Government of turning its back on the very people who had supported them during the 2022 campaigns.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua Pulse Live Kenya

“Never again shall we support someone in Nairobi, only for them to turn around and punish those who elected them,” Gachagua said, in a sharp critique aimed at Governor Sakaja.

His remarks were loaded with political weight, as he went on to say “Hapa Nairobi, tutajipanga. Hakuna siku ingine tutapeana kura bila mpango. Hapa mimi nitawaambia vile tutakaa.”

This statement suggests that the Deputy President may be looking to reconfigure his political strategies in Nairobi ahead of future elections, potentially even withholding future support from Sakaja.

Governor Sakaja Fires Back

Governor Sakaja, however, wasted no time in issuing a scathing response to Gachagua’s accusations.

In a strongly-worded statement, Sakaja pushed back against the Deputy President’s criticism, accusing him of fanning the flames of tribal division.

Sakaja called Gachagua’s comments “misinformed” and dismissed them as political gimmickry designed to undermine his administration’s efforts.

"If only you had taken your phone and called me, as I had suggested, you would have learned a few things," Sakaja stated, directly addressing Gachagua.

The governor went on to clarify that his administration has not neglected the traders’ concerns.

He highlighted that the government had engaged in extensive consultations with traders over the proposed relocation of certain markets, including the controversial Marikiti Market.

In his statement, Sakaja accused Gachagua of inciting the traders against the measures his government was taking.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja during the commissioning of kits for community health promoters on September 25, 2023 Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja during the commissioning of kits for community health promoters on September 25, 2023 Pulse Live Kenya

He also emphasised that the relocation plans were driven by safety concerns for traders and customers alike, citing past incidents where traders selling their goods on the roadside had suffered serious injuries.

Sakaja reiterated that his government’s focus was on creating a structured and safe environment for traders while ensuring that public spaces remained orderly.

"There will be order in this major artery into the city. The people of Nairobi and the leadership of the market support this move fully," Sakaja noted in his statement.

Both leaders are navigating a delicate political landscape, and their public disagreement over the traders’ issue could have far-reaching consequences.