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Nairobi MCAs query Mike Sonko's secret Sh96m budget

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko during a recent
By COLLINS OMULO
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Details have emerged of an irregular multimillion confidential budget that is secretly allocated to Nairobi County Governor Mike Sonko.
The revelations arose during a county assembly oversight committee sitting where it emerged that the governor has been enjoying Sh96 million ‘confidential expenditures’ annually since he came into office in 2017.
Appearing before the Legal and Justice Committee, officers from the governor’s office could not explain to the committee what the ‘confidential budget’ is meant for, a sum that was never approved by the assembly as part of the county’s financial plan.
The committee, led by its chairperson Jayendra Malde put to task Mr Dominic Odera — an administration officer in Mr Sonko’s office and who also serves as the county’s fleet manager — to account for the huge sum.
'BUDGET NORMAL'
Kilimani MCA Moses Ogeto, the committee’s vice chairman, raised concerns questioning why the county boss was allocated the cash.
Reached for comment, Mr Sonko defended the confidential budget saying that it was normal since he has many departments under his office.
“Having a confidential budget is normal. Running Nairobi is not a joke. There are so many things happening under my office,” said Sonko.
There are five departments, including inspectorate, legal services, disaster management and coordination, investigative services and administration.
DEPUTY GOVERNOR
The committee was perusing the Sh805 million budget estimates for 2019/2020 financial year for Mr Sonko’s office and that of his deputy.
Raising more eyebrows was a Sh490.6 million allocated for both offices yet the county has had no deputy governor since January, 2018 when Polycarp Igathe resigned.
Nominated MCA Silvia Kihoro questioned how the budget has been spent despite Nairobi operating without a deputy governor for a whole financial year.
It was also revealed that Governor Sonko has been moving in a fleet of 12 cars against a requirement of only five cars. This was after MCA Ogeto raised queries on the number of vehicles the governor should officially be entitled to officially and whether the extra cars are captured in the budget.

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