Ezra Manyibe | 41 minutes ago

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has distanced himself from allegations of hiring goons to set ablaze a section of city hall.

Governor Sakaja addressed the media from outside parliament on Thursday, July 4, 2024, explaining that he had been on a retreat with his cabinet in Mombasa planning county affairs for the new fiscal year.

The Nairobi governor claimed that a section of politicians were out to gain political mileage by tarnishing his reputation.

He cautioned leaders against engaging in slander campaigns.

"I saw a clip on Tuesday on alleged goons coming out of City Hall which I have asked to be investigated. We have been in the Coast with our cabinet for the whole week just doing our end-of-year retreat and replanning for the new financial year which ends in June. I would hate it that something would have been planned from City Hall," he said. 

"When you're in such a situation, the first casualty is the truth. Opportunistic politicians try to bring themselves into a move to taint their opponents. When somebody tries to claim that I was meeting people to plan violence at City Hall while I was in Diani from Sunday and I've come back this morning. I've always believed in siasa safi and freedom of expression even when it's not in my political side of the equation."

City Hall was breached by irate protestors on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, during the anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests.