Former Nairobi Speaker Beatrice Elachi has revealed previously unknown details about her strained working relationship with Governor Mike Sonko.
Speaking on The Hot Seat, Elachi described the Nairobi governor as an extremely difficult person. In addition to a hostile working environment, Elachi said she also had to contend with a paranoid Sonko who feared that she could poison him.
Elachi recounted an incident at State House when Sonko demanded a different microphone after Elachi had spoken.
“One time we had just arrived at State House and we were called to speak. When I was done and gave back Sonko the mic, he declined and asked for another microphone, I thought to myself, this are State House mics.
“Other times we would meet and he would insist I taste the water before he could drink it. He kept on complaining this woman will kill me,” Elachi said.
The former Speaker also disclosed that her children are afraid of Sonk0.
She also narrated how her 12-year old daughter wondered why City Hall employees always showed up to work drunk.
“I remember my daughter who is 12 asking me ‘Why is it that you people go to work while drunk? What is all this fight for?’ From that time, I started thinking about how to leave this job.”
“My kids are extremely terrified of the Governor. At one point, where the official residence of the governor was, we are just near, When they (kids) realised he (Sonko) is coming there, they were terrified and they told me ‘mom, we are moving’,” said the former Speaker.
Elachi, however, noted that there was no bad blood between her and Sonko.
She also lauded Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) boss Mohammed Badi for carrying out his mandate without much fanfare as opposed to Sonko.
“Badi doesn’t need to come on TV to say what he has done. People will be asking him, we have seen Michuki Park, We have seen the roads. We have seen the sideways and he will explain. The actions speak louder,” she said.
