Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is staring at possible impeachment after Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) convened a special sitting on Tuesday, August 26, to deliberate on his removal.
The meeting, chaired by Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Ken Ngondi, came after a Speaker’s Kamkunji where frustrated MCAs expressed disappointment with the governor’s performance and alleged failure to deliver on his 2022 campaign pledges.
According to South B MCA Chege Waithera, the decision to initiate impeachment proceedings was reached unanimously, with bipartisan support from both Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and United Democratic Alliance (UDA)-affiliated members.
“Many stalled projects in the wards remain incomplete, and residents are asking questions we can no longer answer,” Waithera said, accusing Sakaja’s administration of neglecting basic service delivery. She further claimed that the governor had lost the confidence of the assembly, enjoying the backing of less than a quarter of its members.
The MCAs plan to formalise the impeachment process during a retreat in Naivasha on September 2, where signature collection for the motion will begin. Waithera revealed that more than 96 members attended Tuesday’s Kamkunji, surpassing the constitutional threshold required to kickstart the process.
Nairobi CBD MCA Mwaniki Kwenya echoed the sentiments, accusing Sakaja of abandoning his working relationship with the assembly in favour of cultivating new political alliances. Kwenya particularly faulted the governor’s engagement with sections of ODM leaders following the party’s recent memorandum of understanding with the Kenya Kwanza administration.
The mounting rebellion places Sakaja among county bosses grappling with political turbulence. He follows Kericho Governor Eric Mutai, who is currently facing impeachment. Mutai’s case has already reached the Senate after efforts to establish a special committee collapsed, forcing a full trial before the plenary.
If the Nairobi MCAs successfully marshal support, Sakaja could be the second governor in weeks to face an ouster bid. His political survival now depends on how effectively he can rally allies within the assembly and leverage his ties with national leadership to withstand the storm brewing in City Hall.
