Sifuna Warns Sakaja Ahead of State House Cooperation Agreement Signing
Nairobi County Senator Edwin Sifuna has issued a strong warning to Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja ahead of the planned signing of a Cooperation Agreement between the National Government and the Nairobi City County Government.
The agreement is expected to be signed on Tuesday afternoon during a ceremony scheduled to take place at State House Nairobi.
According to an official media invitation circulated earlier, the signing ceremony was set for 3:00 PM on February 17, 2026.
The invite simply indicated that the event would mark the formal signing of a cooperation agreement between the two levels of government, but it did not provide detailed information about the contents or scope of the deal.
This lack of clarity has raised concern among some political leaders and sections of Nairobi’s leadership.
Senator Sifuna publicly expressed his surprise over the announcement, saying that he was not aware of any consultations involving elected leaders or Nairobi residents before such an important agreement was scheduled.
He questioned why discussions surrounding an agreement that could potentially affect the management of the capital city were not made public earlier.
According to Sifuna, Nairobi residents deserve transparency and proper engagement whenever decisions that may affect devolved functions are being considered.
The senator reminded the governor that the Constitution requires public participation and involvement of elected leaders before any major administrative or governance decisions are made.
He cautioned that any attempt to reverse or weaken devolution by transferring county responsibilities back to the national government would face strong opposition.
Sifuna emphasized that leaders in Nairobi would not allow any move that undermines the constitutional gains achieved through devolution, adding that a more detailed statement would be released once the full details of the agreement become available.
He further warned that any unconstitutional attempt to take away county powers would be firmly resisted, stressing that Nairobi’s leadership must protect the interests of residents.
His remarks suggest growing political sensitivity around the issue, especially given Nairobi’s past experiences with national government intervention in county affairs.
Governor Sakaja, however, has previously dismissed claims that his administration intends to hand over county functions to the national government led by President William Ruto.
He described such reports as misleading and insisted that the county government remains fully committed to carrying out its constitutional responsibilities.
According to the governor, the planned cooperation should not be interpreted as a transfer of powers but rather as a partnership aimed at improving service delivery in the capital.
During his State of the County Address delivered on February 11, 2026, Sakaja assured members of the Nairobi County Assembly and residents that the functions assigned to counties under the Constitution would remain intact.
He explained that Nairobi’s unique position as both a county and the country’s capital city sometimes requires close collaboration with the national government, particularly in areas such as infrastructure development, security coordination, and urban planning.
However, he maintained that such cooperation must always operate within the law and respect the principles of devolution.
The governor also referred to the 2020 Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) arrangement, which followed the impeachment of former Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko, as a lesson for current leadership.
According to Sakaja, the NMS period created confusion over roles between the county and national government, leaving behind significant financial challenges, including billions of shillings in pending bills.
He noted that the arrangement also affected staff morale within the county government and disrupted normal operations for several years.
As political leaders and Nairobi residents wait for the official details of the new agreement, attention now turns to the State House ceremony and the substance of the cooperation framework.
The outcome is expected to shape discussions around devolution, intergovernmental relations, and how Nairobi’s complex governance structure should function while balancing national and county interests.
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