Sakaja breathes fire over Gachagua’s 'tribal and inciteful' remarks

Nairobi, 

Friday, 20 September, 2024 

McCreadie Andias 

Nairobi Governor Sakaja has responded to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's rally at Wakulima Market earlier today.

Sakaja through his FB Page accuses DP of using tribal politics to mislead traders and undermine crucial safety reforms in the city. 

The dispute centers around the relocation of roadside traders from the congested Wakulima/Marikiti Market to the newly constructed Kangundo Road Market.

Governor Sakaja says the Deputy President’s speech, delivered in vernacular, misrepresented the Nairobi County government’s plans and risked endangering lives by inciting traders against the proposed relocation.

“I have for long avoided responding to the Deputy President's tribal diatribe, but today's activities leave me no choice. 

As elected leaders, we have a responsibility to our people to protect and provide them with opportunities to make something out of themselves.”Sakaja said. 

Sakaja defended his directive to ban traders from selling goods along major roads claiming it's for their own safety, he contrasted the risk to the event of the June 2023, Londiani Accident that claimed at least 60 people including roadside traders. 

“Just over a year ago, in June 2023, 52 traders, selling goods on a road reserve, were killed in Londiani, Kericho County, when a truck driver lost control and plowed into them. Thirty of them sustained life-changing injuries. These people cannot come back to life. I have a duty and mandate that will not let me fall for populist political gimmicks at the expense of the lives and safety of Nairobians.”Sakaja said. 

“This morning, in a misinformed tribal diatribe, and while speaking in vernacular in the heart of our nation’s capital, you have chosen to use falsehoods to incite traders against the measures we are taking,”Sakaja added. 

Sakaja firmly noted that his government has no plan to relocate the Marikiti Market.

He said that Selected produce will be delivered wholesale to the other markets built using taxpayers' money but will not allow traders to endanger their lives by selling their wares on the roadside. 

Sakaja said that the traders will move to Kangundo Road Market. 

Hilariously asked Gachagua to offer space outside his Harambee Annex office for traders to display their wares and ply their trade if the DP was not satisfied with the Kangundo Market relocation plans. 

The governor affirmed that the move was fully supported by Nairobians and the leadership of the market. 

Regarding consultations with traders in the Wakulima and Marikiti trading block, Sakaja noted that he met their leadership last week, where they agreed on the provided measures that will ease congestion in the market and improve the safety and welfare of traders and citizens. 

“We will not allow you to take us back.”The governor said. 

“A leader of your caliber should provide informed solutions and not stoke tribal disunity in our country. Nairobi is a cosmopolitan global hub that will operate in an orderly manner. I can assure you of that. I know you are dealing with other weighty and impending political issues. 

Keep the people of Nairobi out of it.”Sakaja said. 

Meanwhile, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had earlier visited Marikiti and Wakulima markets in response to last week's protests by traders against the Nairobi County Government's planned eviction of the vending center to Kangundo Road market.

Gachagua took a swipe at Sakaja, urging market traders to carefully consider their choice of Nairobi Governor in the 2027 elections.

When the Marikiti traders went on strike, Gachagua appealed to Sakaja to withdraw the eviction notice, citing that the Kangundo market was filled to capacity and that evicting the traders from Marikiti would render them jobless.

Taking to his social media account, Gachagua reminded Sakaja of the promise given by the Kenya Kwanza team to uplift Kenyans' lives.

In a brief but pointed response, Governor Sakaja however told Gachagua to reach out to him directly rather than through social media—a comment that seemingly irked the DP.