Kenya: I Refused to Aid City Hall Cartel Mafia as Deputy Governor - Igathe

Nairobi — Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance Nairobi gubernatorial candidate Polycarp Igathe has defended his move to resign as Nairobi deputy governor saying he was not going to work with the corrupt.

Igathe revealed that Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko tenure was marred with corruption which would have tainted his professional conduct and gone against the oath he took.

"Some of us were born with a conscience and in matters of the conscience the rule of majority would not have applied. I reversed my decision because I respect your vote. You are not going to vote for me so that earn a salary and be escorted by security, live properly and not do anything for you," he said.

"You are voted in by the crowds, but you swear to your own God. That is serious power. I take my vow very seriously. That is different from tenacity and hanging in there," he added.

The former Nairobi Deputy Governor stated that he walked in the steps of Former Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga to resign than abet the undertaking of cartels mafia in Nairobi county.

"I did what Jaramogi Oginga said am not going to gain a salary for nothing.I didn't abuse your trust,I respected your trust. I raised the constitution above me,I could have been a billionaire btw I would have sat there and played ball and we would have continued with the role,"Igathe stated.

The Nairobi gubernatorial hopeful mentioned that his move was vindicated as months after he exited the governor was impeached and the National Metropolitan Services took over the county's administration.

"What happened two years after I left in equal measure? Didn't even the president give up. Didnt you see instruments of power move. The county government was just about to be disbanded and that's how I was vindicated. What they had seen is a clean individual in Kiswahili they say 'watashikisha handball"

"This means they corrupt you, take you to the brothel and stand at the door and see what you do at the brothel and then that's how they trust you," Igathe added.

Igathe confidently stated that his move paved way for Parliament to relook the job description of deputy governor by filling the gaps on his or her responsibilities and the legal mechanism on how to replace a governor in case he or she resigns.

"I wasn't going to be used by anybody to betray the trust you have given me. I was not going to be used by anybody to abuse the trust. When you look at the constitution, Parliament went back to correct the job description of a deputy governor," Igathe stated.

Igathe resigned in January 2018 and claimed that he had failed to earn the trust of Governor Mike Sonko to enable him work at the county.

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