Mike Sonko Exposes Alleged Theft and Corruption at Nairobi City Hall-Videos
Former governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko has once again captured attention by releasing videos exposing alleged theft within city hall during his tenure as the capital’s leader.
In a statement on X, Sonko disclosed that unidentified individuals used to offer him daily bribes amounting to KSh 50 million, with figures sometimes reaching KSh 60 million, in the initial days of his governorship.
Sonko stated that his primary aim was to eradicate corruption from Nairobi. Consequently, he reported the issue to former president Uhuru Kenyatta.
The question arises: Why was Nairobi County facing financial losses?
In a previous radio interview, Sonko disclosed that Uhuru took decisive action by deploying officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate the origin of these funds. Allegedly, Uhuru also provided Sonko with recording devices to gather evidence.
Sonko further detailed the reasons behind the significant financial losses incurred during his administration:
1. Cash collected by over nine cashiers throughout the day was not promptly banked, despite the bank’s proximity to the cash office.
2. Agents were responsible for collecting funds from private businesses within the central business district (CBD) on behalf of the county.
3. Manipulation of receipts to generate multiple licenses and rates clearance certificates instead of issuing a single receipt for each payment.
4. Only 14 out of 136 revenue collection channels had been digitized.
What steps did Sonko take to address corruption?
Sonko initiated a crackdown at the city hall’s cash office with the assistance of officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). This operation led to the seizure of significant sums of money hidden in the cashiers’ possession. Recovered amounts ranged from KSh 6 million to KSh 15 million per cashier, with approximately 11 cashiers implicated.
He claimed to have closed all loopholes by abolishing cash transactions and implementing payment methods through the county’s designated bank accounts. Sonko stated that expenditure consent was sought from the Controller of Budget as per the County Government Finance Management Act.
Did these measures prove effective?
According to Sonko, his anti-corruption efforts resulted in increased revenue for the county, enabling the settlement of pending bills and staff salaries. Recurrent expenditure also saw a sudden decline, allowing for the allocation of development funds within the county.
Earlier, on Wednesday, May 1, Sonko revealed shocking details about his tenure, shedding light on the widespread corruption he encountered. He asserted that he was offered an extraordinary sum of KSh 50 million in cash bribes daily from the county’s revenue collection center.
Mike Sonko Exposes Alleged Theft and Corruption at Nairobi City Hall-Videos