Johnson Sakaja, a candidate for governor of Nairobi, now asserts that there was an attempt to pay him Ksh. 1 billion to withdraw from the County’s governor election.
Speaking on Thursday, Sakaja, whose attempt to become governor is still being contested in court, claimed that a high-ranking official had approached him and ordered him to fake being ill in order to abandon his governorship aspirations.
However, Senator Sakaja chose not to disclose the name of the alleged official, who he connected to the State House.
“Kuna mtu alitumwa kwangu kutoka State House akaambiwa aniambie kuna hela flani nitapatiwa niachane na hicho kiti ati niseme nimekuwa mgonjwa. Ilikuwa 1 billion na nikasema hapana,” the Nairobi senator said in an interview on Radio Jambo.
Sakaja further asserts that threats of arrest and legal action were made against him when he disobeyed the order. The “empty” threats, according to Sakaja, did little to thwart his plans to run for office, stressing that he is still steadfast in his commitment to helping Nairobi’s citizens.
“Nilisema sitajiuzulu na wakajaribu kunitisha ati watanishika. Watanishika kwa nini? he posed.
Sakaja also shared his thoughts on leaving the Jubilee government and joining the Kenya Kwanza camp.
While stating that he has the utmost respect for President Uhuru Kenyatta because of their time spent together in the National Alliance (TNA) party, Sakaja pointed out that his departure from the Jubilee party was caused by a difference in views on how Nairobi would be run once President Kenyatta assumed office.
“Mi sina shida na mtu. Ni ukweli tulifanya kazi kwa undani sana na tumekuwa marafiki na Rais na namheshimu. Namshukuru kwa ile safari ambayo tulikuwa nayo kuanzia nikiwa na miaka ishirini na nne, tukiunda TNA na nikaja kuwa mwenyekiti,” he said.
“Vile tuliendelea niliona kuna tofauti kwa ile mpango wako nayo ya Nairobi na nikaikubali na nikasema sina shida nao lakini ni lazima nipate nafasi yangu.”
