Governor SAKAJA defends appointment of RUTO-linked Sidian Bank as Nairobi health facilities principal banker amid uproar - "They have given us the best deal"

Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has defended his administration’s decision to designate Sidian Bank as the principal banker for County health facilities.

Appearing before the Senate Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations on Monday, November 24^th, Sakaja faced questions over why Sidian Bank was chosen ahead of more established banks.

Senator Richard Onyonka raised concerns about whether the decision was influenced by the bank’s ownership structure rather than purely business considerations.

Onyonka questioned if Sidian’s relatively recent acquisition by Kenyan investors, some allegedly linked to President Ruto, played a role in the choice.

“Are you sure Sidian offered this purely on a business basis and not because of the connections of the owners?” he asked.

In response, Sakaja dismissed claims of favoritism, stressing that the decision was administrative and based on competitive advantage.

“They have given us the best deal. We reviewed all the other banks, invited them, and compared offers. Sidian stood out,” he said.

The Governor highlighted Sidian’s favorable terms, particularly the absence of percentage-based processing fees and lower rates.

He argued that ownership should not be a factor in evaluating banks, noting that all institutions have shareholders.

“KCB has shareholders, NCBA has owners. If there is evidence of undue influence, present it,” he added.

Sakaja further emphasized that no Kenyan financial institution should face discrimination in competing for Government business.

“It’s a Kenyan institution. Procedures were followed. No law dictates which bank counties must use,” he said.

The directive to move County health facility accounts to Sidian Bank was issued on November 5^th by County Secretary Godfrey Akumali, following a resolution passed during the County Executive Committee’s 69^th meeting on October 28^th.

The move sparked uproar with  Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, condemning the decision as suspicious and potentially corrupt.

“The health facilities in Nairobi have been banking with Cooperative Bank, a tier one Bank with a solid history and reputation.”

"How you wake up one day and direct all of them to move to a tier 3 bank cannot be explained any other way than that corruption is at play,” Sifuna posted on X.

The Kenyan DAILY POST