NAIROBI, Kenya – The national government is set to sign a partnership deal with Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to jointly manage key services in the capital, in what is being seen as President William Ruto’s latest move to reclaim the city’s lost glory.
The agreement, which sources say could be sealed “within weeks,” will focus on restoring Nairobi’s image through improved waste management, rehabilitation of roads, and the revival of street lighting.
President Ruto, in a recent public declaration, lamented that “Nairobi cannot continue to be the city in filth,” signaling his impatience with the county’s poor state of service delivery.
City Under Strain
Once fondly known as the “Green City in the Sun,” Nairobi’s streets now tell a different story — choked drainage, uncollected garbage, pothole-ridden roads, and hawkers occupying nearly every public space.
A spike in daylight muggings and insecurity within the Central Business District (CBD) has also pushed many businesses out of the city centre, leaving it in visible decline.
“The capital cannot be left to rot under layers of inefficiency and neglect,” a senior government official familiar with the discussions said, hinting that the partnership will bring together the national and county administrations under a shared framework for urban management.
Déjà Vu of the NMS Era
The new plan mirrors a similar arrangement during the Uhuru Kenyatta administration, when the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) was established in 2020 following a dramatic transfer of key county functions from then-Governor Mike Sonko to the national government.
The NMS, led by Major General Mohammed Badi, oversaw major infrastructure and sanitation projects, earning both praise for efficiency and criticism for “militarizing” civil service roles.
The deed that birthed the NMS transferred four crucial functions — health, transport, planning and development, and public works — to the national government for a renewable 24-month period.
Sakaja’s Political Balancing Act
For Governor Sakaja, the looming deal presents both an opportunity and a political risk.
He has faced growing friction with Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) over budgets and bursaries, with his administration accused of sluggish service delivery.
Insiders say President Ruto’s move to co-manage Nairobi is both a show of support and a subtle warning.
The governor narrowly survived an impeachment threat earlier this year after the intervention of both President Ruto and the late opposition leader Raila Odinga.
History Repeats Itself
The uneasy relationship between the national government and Nairobi governors has been a recurring feature since devolution began in 2013.
Evans Kidero clashed with President Uhuru Kenyatta over political loyalties, while Sonko’s erratic tenure ended in impeachment after handing over functions to the national government under pressure.
Political observers say Nairobi’s unique status — as both the administrative and commercial capital generating nearly 28 percent of Kenya’s GDP — makes it too strategic to be left entirely to county politics.
“The presidency has always had a hand in how Nairobi is run. Every governor knows that the seat of power is just across the road,” said political analyst Paul Okumu.
Details of the new deal remain under wraps, but government sources indicate that it may involve partnerships with private sector experts to inject efficiency into city management — a move designed to avoid the political backlash that followed the militarized NMS structure.
