Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has refuted claims that Nairobi County spent Ksh21 billion on legal fees.
This is after Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi claimed that the figure represents more than 70% of the total legal expenditure across all counties.
In a statement on Tuesday, January 13, Ahmednasir said it was unethical for the county to pay such an amount, alleging that a large portion of the legal fees is diverted back to City Hall and misappropriated.
“Nairobi City County alone is cited as having spent more than Sh21 billion (on lawyers' fees), accounting for over 70 per cent of total county legal expenditure during the period reviewed. This is haram, 80% of such fees goes back to City Hall and is eaten,” Ahmednasir claimed.
In response, Governor Sakaja denied the allegations that City hall spent Ksh21 billion to pay legal fees.
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According to the Nairobi Governor, the amount is the debt owed to lawyers that he found when he came to office in August 2022.
Governor Sakaja mentioned that the claims were reviewed and reduced by about half, but noted that it is still excessive.
“You would know the difference between claim and money actually paid. Ksh21 billion is the debt owed to lawyers that we found in 2022 and deemed completely untenable.
“No such amount has been paid, and these claims have since been reviewed downwards by half. Still too much! We don’t have that kind of money to pay,” Sakaja explained.
This comes a day after the high court issued conservatory orders barring public institutions and county governments from engaging private law firms for work that can be done by State counsels and county lawyers.
The court also barred the Controller of Budget, Margaret Nyakang’o, from approving any funds for the acquisition of external legal services by public entities pending the determination of the case.
Justice Samuel Mukira issued the orders on Monday, January 12, following a Petition filed by Magare Gikenyi.
“A conservatory order is hereby issued suspending the engagement, procuring, continuing to procure, pending payments, all engagements of private advocates/law firms by all public entities when there is already a hired attorney general, state counsel, solicitor general, county attorneys, county legal counsels, legal officers, and legal personnel of all public entities,” Justice Mukira ordered.
