Ex-Town Clerk who demanded that officers account for their performance dies in prison serving term over graft.
More than a decade ago in 2004, John Gakuo had a remarkable twist in his public service career. He switched from a polished job as under-secretary in the Public Health Department to take up a new role at City Hall which was at the time synonymous with chaos, graft and endless political wrangling.
To some critics this was an outright case of demotion, others read mischief. But to the soft-spoken long-serving administrator, it was an opportunity to leave an indelible mark on the restoration of Nairobi’s soiled image.
And so even as Mr Gakuo settled down as Town Clerk, he quickly re-wrote the rule book at City Hall and demanded that all officers account for their performance. He hated disorder and even observed work attendance by his staff.
He adopted a proactive style of management where he even responded to complaints made through newspaper columns and had the issues raised fixed.
Mr Gakuo also took action on complaints raised through his personal telephone.
Though criticised by some, his style brought instant transformation in Nairobi during his five-year tenure to 2009. The city streets, back alleys and estates that previously choked with garbage were once again habitable.
“I made garbage collection a priority. I utilised the inspectorate officers and my powers fully. At division (sub-county) levels, we had divisional managers and inspectorate commanders to manage littering and dumping,” Mr Gakuo was quoted by the media in 2016.
“Discipline at City Hall was more valued than the Sh10 billion budget at the time. This is what made my work easier. If we found garbage in a place we had cleared waste from, I held the immediate property owners or businesspersons responsible and dealt with them firmly. With time they towed the line and became our eyes on the ground. And if my men were to blame, I dealt with them firmly as well,” he added. Under his watch, littering, urinating in public and violating zebra crossing; some of the most frequent violations against city by-laws, became punishable by the defunct council’s various inspectorate departments.
He also oversaw the eviction of hawkers from the central business district and greening of public spaces within the city. The former long-serving district commissioner further enforced a rule that matatus only pick and drop passengers at designated points.
The late Gakuo is also credited with refurbishing the popular Uhuru Park and Central Park, which to date offer entertainment over weekends to thousands of Nairobi families in the low-income cadre.
In March 2009, Mr Gakuo retired from City Hall and was replaced by Phillip Kisia a month later.
His track record was however unmatched and most Nairobians instantly felt the void left by Mr Gakuo. Nearly five years into retirement, he made a comeback to City Hall in 2013 —tapped by former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero to handle the Water, Energy, Forestry, Environment and Natural Resources department.
His second stint at City Hall was however short-lived. To the shock of many, he was dropped by Dr Kidero in October 2014.
“On the morning of October 7,2014, I was called by Dr Kidero into his office and verbally informed that my services were no longer needed and my salary had been stopped. To date I have never received any termination letter and neither do I know the reasons for my termination,” Mr Gakuo told the court in a case challenging his dismissal in 2015.
He had challenged his dismissal and sought to be reinstated or paid about Sh17 million for the 42 months that remained before the end of his five-year contract.
Despite the fallout with Dr Kidero, Mr Gakuo’s legacy won him a third stint at City Hall.
In February this year Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko appointed him to co-chair the Nairobi Regeneration Committee whose mandate is to help “regain Nairobi’s lost glory”.
Despite these achievements, Mr Gakuo had a low moment on May 15 when he was handed a three-year jail term over an irregular 2009 deal for the purchase of land in Mavoko, Athi River, valued at Sh283 million to establish a cemetery.
His co-accused, former Local Government permanent secretary Sammy Kirui, former Nairobi City Council legal secretary Mary Ng’ethe, and chairman of the tender committee Alexander Musee will also serve a similar sentence.
Besides the three-year jail term for each of the four, Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti ordered Mr Gakuo and Mr Kirui to pay a fine of Sh1 million each, while Ms Ng’ethe will pay Sh52 million and Mr Musee Sh32 million failing which they will serve an additional year in jail.
Mr Gakuo,68, did not serve through his sentence. He died this week at the Mbagathi Hospital where he was rushed for treatment having fallen sick in prison.
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