It’s not me, Sakaja says as city residents question trimming of tree

Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja has been caught in the tussle of a tree pruning activity that was carried out on Thursday evening in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD).

In a tweet, the governor criticised his officers who had trimmed the tree along Kenyatta Avenue saying he had talked to the officer responsible and was waiting for a response on the reasons for the trimming. 

“It has been brought to my attention about these officers cutting down trees. We plan to increase the tree cover within the CBD and I do not support it. I have asked the responsible officer,” Mr Sakaja said in the tweet, which he deleted after a few minutes.

He later replaced it, tweeting: "I have been assured that the pruning done after the outcry by pedestrians due to the recent Marabou stork’s invasion was procedural and that the tree shall be nurtured. Again I reiterate, we will increase our tree cover in the city. I was upset as you all but the tree will grow."

Kenyans questioned the reasoning behind the pruning.

The tree was home to marabou storks birds, some of which had been rendered homeless after more trees were cut down along Uhuru Highway to pave way for the construction of the Nairobi Expressway.

It was not clear why the governor rushed to social media to criticise his officers yet he is the one in-charge of the county. 

A pruned tree can still regenerate to produce branches and leaves.