CAPITALFM- Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has told bar owners and Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators in the city to go on with their businesses and disregard directives issued by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
DP Gachagua and Governor Sakaja have been at loggerheads after the Governor ordered the relocation of lon distance PSV’s from Nairobi’s CBD to the new Green Park termini as part of measures to decongest the city.
The Deputy President however, termed the move as ill-informed and said that the Governor ought to consult before making decisions that hurt people’s businesses, mainly Kikuyus.
“Our administration will protect businesses. We are not like the previous regime which killed businesses. I am telling business people to continue with their work and no one will harass them and I mean what I say,” stated Gachagua during an interview with Inooro TV on Sunday night.
The DP said there need to be more consultations before making any plans to kick PSVs out of the CBD.
“For instance, you want to kill the tearoom stage. The moment you do away with that stage, you kill hundreds of shops along that road. Is that what my boss and I promised Kenyans? Not at all”, he added.
He also criticized the Governor’s move to ban nightclubs in residential areas, saying that decision should be reconsidered.
“The same county government that is closing bars today is the same one that issued them with licenses. Who is lying to the other one now…? Sakaja should call for a consultative meeting where they will agree on how to install soundproof walls”, he said.
DP Gachagua said that the Mt Kenya region played a big role in making Sakaja the Governor of Nairobi, adding that he extensively lobbied for his bid.
In that regard, he said the Governor ought to respect city businesses owned by people from his region.
“I actually told Bishop Margaret Wanjiru to step down in his favour. He should be reminded that we people from the Mountain are not like potato sacks which you can move up and down the way you want”, he said.