Two counties, two clowns: The farce of Waititu and Sonko

What you need to know:

  • And Nairobi County Governor, Mike Mbuvi Sonko, has not made the situation any easier for Waititu, his long time political buddy.
  • Over the years, the two masters of high drama have climbed the political ladder rather fast to become governors.

  • The Kiambu Governor often dons buggy khaki trousers with untucked oversized shirts and caps, sometimes even at official functions.

Kiambu County Governor Ferdinand Waititu’s suggestion that rivers should be moved in order to spare structures built on riparian reserves from demolition has amused many and caused ridicule to the combative politician.

Waititu’s unyielding explanation that courses of rivers should instead be bent where applicable to avoid destruction of property not only smacks of impunity, but it is also laughable.

And Nairobi County Governor, Mike Mbuvi Sonko, has not made the situation any easier for Waititu, his long time political buddy.

In a leaked video recording doing the rounds on social media, the Nairobi Governor is reportedly heard mocking his Kiambu counterpart over the latter’s stand on the demolition exercise.

In the recording, Waititu, whose recognised cell phone number clearly shows, pleads with Sonko to release his wife from custody: “Unakumbuka vile tumezunguka Nairobi na wewe? Na bado tunaenda mbali (Do you remember how we combed Nairobi on the campaign trail? And we are still forging ahead.) Sonko is heard giving in, “Sawa my brother.”

POLITICAL SOULMATES

Indeed, Waititu and Sonko are political soul mates with a long history. Curiously, both joined the National Assembly in the 10th Parliament through by-elections — Waititu of the Party of National Unity (PNU) in 2008 following the death of Orange Democratic Movement’s (ODM) Mellitus Mugabe Were, the lawmaker for the then expansive Embakasi constituency, and Sonko (Narc-Kenya) two years later following the court’s nullification of Dick Wathika’s election as Makadara MP.

Over the years, the two masters of high drama have climbed the political ladder rather fast to become governors.

This achievement is unusual considering critics’ assessment of the two politicians as clowns with crude approaches to life.

The Kiambu Governor, for instance, often dons buggy khaki trousers with untucked oversized shirts and caps, sometimes even at official functions.

He is viewed by many as someone who has little regard for etiquette and rule of law.

NOT CIVILISED

Waititu acknowledges that because of his antics many people have always concluded he is not civilised. But this doesn’t bother him, and he says his focus to achieve results is what makes the masses happy irrespective of his approach.

His demeanour, until he speaks, paints a picture of a confused happy-go-lucky fellow. And he often quips; “I just roam just like that and many people take me for a fool, but I always have the favour of God because I always achieve what I want.”

On his part, Sonko comes through more as a celebrity in the entertainment industry than an administrator of Kenya’s richest and most strategic county as well as East and Central Africa’s most important metropolis. This is even after scaling down on his so-called swag attire of battered jeans, golden rings and chains, upon his election as governor.

With his trademark Mohawk hairstyle with the word PEACE clearly spelt out, he engaged in dishonourable acts including punching walls with fists, scaling fences, lying prostrate on highways and joining protesters in street demos.

DEMOLITIONS

Their populist approach notwithstanding, Sonko and Waititu sometimes stretch their luck too far. On the ongoing demolitions, for instance, Waititu has opted to publicly contradict his Jubilee party boss. Sonko accordingly warns his friend, in the leaked video recording: “Wajua wewe pia unaropoka ropoka, na unajua mdosi anapigana na corruption. Hiyo itakupiga sana (Why are you yapping carelessly yet you know the President is fighting corruption? This will put you in trouble.)”

In the same recording, Sonko also places the Executive in an awkward situation by repeatedly stating he is a helpless governor who operates largely on the direction of “powers from above”. This is the same man who, in May this year, sensationally nominated President Kenyatta’s harshest critic, Miguna Miguna, as his deputy governor. The abrasive lawyer was flatly rejected by Jubilee-allied Members of the Nairobi County Assembly.

In 2014, Sonko was also roundly accused of showing disrespect to the President, when he placed a call to him before a huge crowd and put him on a speaker phone. He was seeking the President’s intervention on demolitions of houses in Nairobi’s South B estate.

ACTING PRESIDENT

He went overboard in October 2016 when he declared himself “acting President.” The declaration landed Sonko in trouble. State House distanced itself from the embarrassing claim.

Except for his latest stand on demolitions of structures built on riparian reserves, Waititu, on the other hand, has been more cautious with the Executive. Always defending the downtrodden, the Kiambu county chief is a populist leader.

As the Embakasi MP, Waititu was once captured on camera roughing up and hurling stones at individuals accused of grabbing land belonging to a primary school. Asked about the crude method, the MP proudly termed his actions “justice Embakasi-style”.

And during last year’s poll campaigns, Waititu and then Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a forcibly took a section of a piece of land belonging to two businessmen and converted it into a public road.

Despite court orders barring his invasion of the private land, Waititu proceeded with the plan, arguing their actions would benefit more people.

BABA YAO ROAD

The move earned him a lot of praise and votes. Upon being sworn in, he tarmacked that section of the road and named it “Baba Yao Road” — his nickname. He also invaded another piece of land belonging to the Postal Corporation and turned it into a bus terminus.

To some, Waititu probably fits the definition of an uncouth and abrasive politician who stops at nothing to get what he wants. But to others, he is a man of the people who always acts as a champion for the poor.

The same is true of Sonko and the self-confessed political clowns’ opponents will write them off at their own peril.