Former Nairobi City Council Town Clerk, Mr Philip Kisia, is suing his rival for the post of Nairobi Governor, Mr Evans Kidero. A letter from Kisia’s lawyer Donald Kipkorir to Kidero, claimed his (Kidero’s) comments at a rally in Kamukunji as reported in an article in The Star, “portrayed his client [Kisia] as incompetent, fraudulent, and a ‘political whore’”. Heaven forefend! Kidero has demanded an unqualified apology and damages.

The Star for their part responded by saying it would ‘continue to report the activities of all candidates’ including Kisia and Kidero.

Aside from the question of what happened to freedom of speech and vigorous political debate, it is difficult to see how Nairobi City Council and those people who run it, or have done so, can keep a straight face in defending themselves against a charge of incompetence.

Only yesterday it was reported that Nairobi City Council will pass on a Sh16 billion debt to the new Nairobi County administration according to the NCC’s year end accounts for 2011/12. Some estimates put the figure as high as Sh31 billion. The NCC however, has only allocated Sh1.7bn for debt repayment.

The Kenya Forum has written before of Philip Kisia (Town Clerk 2009 to 2012) and the Nairobi City Council. Readers may like to consider some of the postings linked below and make their own judgment.