War of words between Sonko and Badi escalates – Nairobi News

The war of words between Governor Mike Sonko and Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) Director-General Mohammed Badi has just heightened.

The two have been engaged in a battle over credit for projects in the capital city with each taking credit for the same.

However, escalating the cold war between the two, the City Hall boss accused “certain leaders in the county” of engaging in bad politics.

This comes after Badi visited a grabbed public land in Highridge, Westlands Constituency accompanied by area MP Tim Wanyonyi, area MCA Jayendra Malde and a section of Nairobi MCAs.

During the visit on Monday, Maj-Gen Badi ordered for the private developers to vacate the land and all ongoing activities at the land be stopped immediately and the land reverted to the Ministry of Health.

“This is now public land. Any private developer found here should be arrested and prosecuted. We cannot continue having a system where some individuals think they are greater than the law and the State,” Badi said.

But not taking the new development lying low, Governor Sonko hit back at the Major General telling him to reclaim a public land in South C Estate grabbed by a private developer from North Eastern.

Governor Sonko termed the leaders as “busybodies” out to play bad politics and blame games.

“They should also go to South C where a businessman from North Eastern is constructing a mall on a county land earmarked for a nursery school and public playground,” said Sonko.

The public utility is located in Mugoya Estate along Muhoho Road and was earmarked for construction of an ECDE and playground for children living in the Estate.

However, it was grabbed by a private developer in 2014.

“Being silent is not being foolish I have just seen some busybodies trying to play bad politics and blame games on the grabbed Highridge public hospital land and other grabbed public utilities in Westlands constituency,” he added.

The Highridge land had been earmarked for the establishment of a clinic but had been grabbed by a private developer and some part of the land had been converted into a garage and a parking lot.

However, Mr Wanyonyi accused City Hall “cartels” of protecting the private developer who had grabbed the land to put up a commercial building.

“This is a warning to private developers that this is just the start and if you know you are a land grabber then start packing as it will not be business as usual,” he said.

The ODM lawmaker has publicly said that he is eyeing the Nairobi gubernatorial seat and could throw his heart in the ring come 2022.

On his part, Mr Malde lauded Mr Badi for repossessing the land recounting the frustrations he has gone through trying to fight for the repossession of the county land.

He revealed that all the attempts he had made to reclaim the land had been thwarted by “powerful individuals”.