You Have Failed As A CS - Senator Sifuna Goes After CS Opiyo Wandayi

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has criticized Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi over the dispute between the Nairobi County government and Kenya Power.

In a statement on Wednesday, February 26, Sifuna accused Wandayi of neglecting his responsibilities while focusing on 2027 politics instead of resolving pressing issues affecting city residents.  

“The relationship between the county government and the national government is supposed to be cordial. A cabinet secretary sees that there is a fight in his docket but does nothing; all you talk about is 2027 politics. You have failed as a cabinet secretary,” he stated.

Sifuna's statement comes barely a day after he slammed the national government over its alleged failure to honor financial commitments to county governments.

Speaking on the dispute between the Nairobi County government and Kenya Power on Tuesday, February 25, Sifuna revealed that Wandayi had previously assured him that the ministry would take up the payment of streetlight bills.

However, the senator claimed that the government has failed to follow through on its promises.

"I sat in a meeting with CS Wandayi a few weeks ago, and he assured me that his ministry had agreed to take up payment of streetlight bills because it was a security function. All this drama is totally unnecessary. 

"Secondly, these National Government institutions refuse to pay their fair share of dues, including over 100 billion in unpaid rates owed to Nairobi alone! There is absolutely no commitment from the national government to support devolution," he stated.

However, in a bid to end the dispute between the two entities, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei on Wednesday morning convened a meeting between Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, Kenya Power CEO Joseph Siror and Wandayi among other leaders. 

Speaking after the meeting, Sakaja described the meeting as fruitful, emphasizing that all hostilities between the parties had ended. 

Addressing an incident where a truck tipped over garbage near Kenya Power’s offices, Sakaja clarified that it was unintended.

"The first thing that we've resolved is that all hostilities end and the issues are sorted out amicably. We have now given instructions to restore the water supply to their premises and remove the trucks that had been blocking access. 

"It was of course unfortunate that one of the trucks tipped garbage; that was not the intention and that is why in less than 30 minutes all that garbage was collected," he said.