Governor Anne Kananu of Nairobi City County finds herself in the spotlight just a month before she exits office over a Ksh.180 million payout to favoured contractors. The money was paid out to companies associated with her and the outgoing Chief Officer of Finance Mohamed Sahal.
In an interesting twist, soon after the payout was made, the governor attempted to transfer Mr Salal to head the health docket in the county only for the decision to be reversed later.
The Ksh. 180M was part of the Ksh. 340 million that the treasury released to the county government to clear pending bills. Mr Sahal is said to have shifted his office from City Hall to a hotel in the Kilimani area where he is said to have signed off 180 million payouts to Somali-owned contractors allegedly after receiving hefty commissions. The move to pay only Somali contractors raised eyebrows among the other contractors who had missed out on the last-minute windfall. The contractors accused the governor and Mr Sahal of having received kickbacks.
The rushed attempted transfer of Mr Sahal, sources claim, was meant to shield the governor Kananu’s blue-eyed boy from hawk-eyed sleuths who have since pitched a tent at the county headquarters to monitor his activities. Mr Mohamed, sources confide, normally demands some facilitation fee before effecting any payment.
In a shocking development, last evening the Somali business community in Nairobi raised a huge amount of money for governor Kananu. The money played a trick, she reverse the decision to transfer Mr Sahal and reinstated him to his previous position.
To dispel the disquiet among contractors owed by city hall Ms Kananu had effected a cosmetic reorganization of her administration even as the power utility firm, Kenya Power disconnected power to City Hall over a 1.5 billion bill that has not been settled. Mr Mohamed who is said to be a first cousin to Garissa Township MP Aden Duale joined city hall during the reign of Mike Sonko in May 2018 as Director in charge of Livestock.
Some of the firms Mr Sahal is said to have paid are Hasim Investments Limited, Bayete Holdings Limited, Abdullahi and Associates Advocate among others. In the changes, Mr Joseph Gathaiga was elevated from Ag. Chief Officer Finance and Economic Planning to be Ag Head of County Treasury. Governor Kananu’s bosom friend whom she served with at the Disaster Management was confirmed as Deputy Director Disaster Management and Coordination having been Ag Chief Officer in the same docket. Ms Elizabeth Njau takes over as Deputy Head Trade from Ag Officer in the same docket.
Sources at City Hall intimate that before his attempted move was reversed Mr Mohamed would be seen in hotel lobbies in the Kilimani area inside his range Rover signing off payments as several after some contractors obtained decrees and warrants against him.
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