Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has defended himself against alleged interference of the running of Nairobi county by inciting traders against lawful directives of the county government.
The DP said his meeting with traders on September 29 was in response to their outcry that their grievances were not being addressed by City Hall.
“I wish to clarify and point out that when I held a public rally, I merely requested the governor of Nairobi county to speak and listen to the grievances which were being raised by the market traders. Videos will be produced tomorrow in the National Assembly,” the DP said.
The Deputy President was speaking Monday night at his official residence in Karen, Nairobi, to address the impeachments allegations leveled against him by Kibwezi MP Mwengi Mutuse.
He confirmed that he will attend the session at 5pm and speak for two hours straight to exonerate his name.
The DP said the traders had simply requested him to intervene and all he did was request the governor to listen to them on their behalf with regards to the relocation of markets.
Governor Johnson Sakaja had asked the traders to relocate from Wakulima market to a newly constructed market along Kangundo road for safety concerns and need to decongest the city.
The traders, however, opposed the development saying citing loss of customers among their reasons.
“Had the governor listened to this traders they would have had no business coming looking for me. All I was saying was listen to the people, before you relocate them, have public participation.”
Gachagua said most of the traders at the market have been at the market for close to 40 years and wanted a way forward on their fate. The market, he said, is their home.
“What happens to our customers, what happens to the distances that we cover, what about the extra cost of going to the new location,” were some of the questions Gachagua said the traders wanted answered by the Sakaja administration.
“And I think the traders were right,” Gachagua said. “Requesting a meeting with their elected leader is their right.”
The DP said he heed the desperate calls of the traders and went and listened to them.