Sakaja Responds After Claims of Handing over Roles to National Government

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has dismissed reports suggesting that the county has transferred some of its responsibilities to the national government.

Earlier media reports claimed that Nairobi County had handed over certain functions to the national government, similar to what happened in 2020 with the creation of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS).

In response, Sakaja took to social media, stating clearly:

“Fake news. No functions or roles ceded.”

The claims sparked debate, with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna questioning the validity of the alleged agreement.

“Constitutionally, there has to be a deed of transfer of functions. It must be approved by the county assembly. I have seen neither,” Sifuna noted.

The reports had suggested that Sakaja and President William Ruto had reached an understanding on a shared responsibility arrangement for key departments in the capital. According to these claims, the national government would take charge of garbage collection and disposal, public works, road construction, and water supply.

Background: Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS)

NMS was established in 2020 to manage the core functions of Nairobi City County after persistent challenges at City Hall. These included leadership disputes, corruption allegations, financial mismanagement, and declining service delivery. Residents faced issues such as uncollected garbage, poor road networks, and inadequate health services, prompting the national government to intervene.

On February 25, 2020, then-President Uhuru Kenyatta and then-Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko signed a deed of transfer at State House, officially transferring four major county functions to the national government. These included:

Health services
Transport
Public works and utilities
Planning and development

The transfer was later approved by the Nairobi County Assembly and Parliament, paving the way for NMS to operate under the Office of the President.

Major General Mohamed Badi of the Kenya Defence Forces was appointed as the Director-General of NMS, emphasizing a disciplined, results-driven management approach. NMS was tasked with improving urban planning, fixing roads, upgrading health facilities, enhancing street lighting, and managing solid waste.

During its tenure, NMS oversaw major road rehabilitation projects, installed new streetlights, refurbished health centres, expanded ICU capacity during the Covid-19 pandemic, upgraded markets, and helped decongest city areas. Supporters credited NMS with restoring some order and fast-tracking stalled infrastructure projects.

Following the 2022 general elections, the transferred functions were gradually returned to Nairobi County under the new administration.

Governor Sakaja’s recent statement clarifies that Nairobi County remains fully in control of its responsibilities, putting an end to speculation about handing over roles to the national government.