Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, who is facing corruption charges, on Monday replaced suspended Finance County minister Charles Kerich.
The governor, who was denied access to his office after being charged with corruption over theft of Sh357 million at City Hall and money laundering, picked Trade minister Allan Esabwa Igambi, who in March last year he appointed as acting Transport CEC.
Through a gazette notice by Nairobi County Secretary Leboo Morintat, Sonko squashed the appointment of Pauline Nyambura Kahiga who has been serving in the position in the acting capacity, and who is reported to have fallen out with MCAs over payments of pending bills.
“It is notified for the information of the general public that pursuant to Article 179 (2) (b) of the Constitution of Kenya and section 30 (1) (b) and section 44 of the County Governments Act, the Governor of Nairobi City County has appointed Allan Esabwa Igambi as the Acting County Executive Committee Member, Finance and Economic Planning and degazetted the appointment of Pauline Nyambura Kahiga as County Executive Committee Member, Finance and Economic Planning (sic),” said the notice.
Morintat said the Gazzete notice was written on December 5, 2019, before Sonko was arraigned but was never affected until Monday when some unhappy MCAs forcibly ejected Nyambura from her office.
Kerich, a former newspaper editor who has been Sonko’s “Mr Fix It” was suspended on September 25, over the Precious Talents Top Academy classrooms accident which killed eight pupils.
Kerich, who was then the immediate former Planning minister, replaced Kahiga who was in May last arrested by Ethics Antic-Corruption Commission after she allegedly refused to cooperate and provide crucial documents needed in an investigation on procurement at City Hall.