Sakaja Warns Against Proposal to Place Nairobi County Under a CEO
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has cautioned against proposals suggesting that the management of the capital city be handed over to a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), saying such a move could create serious financial and administrative challenges for the county.
According to the governor, replacing elected political leadership with a non-political administrator risks repeating past mistakes that negatively affected service delivery and the county’s finances.
Speaking during an interview with NTV, Sakaja explained that Nairobi’s governance structure is complex and requires leadership that understands both political and administrative dynamics.
He argued that placing the county under a CEO would weaken accountability and could lead to poor coordination between development priorities and financial planning. In his view, Nairobi needs stronger systems and better funding structures rather than a change in leadership model.
The governor referenced the period when Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) took over several key functions of Nairobi City County between 2020 and 2022.
The takeover followed a leadership crisis at City Hall and concerns over declining service delivery. During that time, a Deed of Transfer of Functions was signed between former Governor Mike Sonko and then-President Uhuru Kenyatta, allowing the national government to assume control over important sectors such as health services, transport, public works, planning, and development.
Sakaja claimed that although the intention behind NMS was to improve service delivery, the outcome left the county struggling financially.
He said the administration left behind pending bills amounting to about Ksh16 billion, which strained relationships between the county government and suppliers. Many contractors and service providers, he noted, suffered major losses, and rebuilding trust with them has taken time.
The governor warned that placing the county under a CEO could create similar financial pressure and uncertainty.
He further stated that Nairobi’s challenges go beyond leadership personalities and are deeply connected to how the capital city is financed and how projects are structured.
According to Sakaja, even a well-intentioned administrator would struggle to succeed without reforms in funding systems and clearer alignment between revenue collection and development spending.
He emphasized that long-term solutions should focus on strengthening governance structures rather than introducing temporary fixes.
The governor has recently come under public scrutiny following reports suggesting that he had surrendered some county functions to the national government. However, Sakaja firmly dismissed these claims, insisting that no functions have been handed over.
He explained that any transfer of functions is guided by law and must follow a legal framework, adding that in some cases, responsibilities have instead been transferred back to the county government.
Sakaja also clarified that the county administration is currently engaging the national government to seek additional support, particularly for infrastructure development.
He noted that cooperation between the two levels of government is necessary to address Nairobi’s growing needs, especially in road construction and urban development projects.
According to the governor, working together on development initiatives should not be mistaken for surrendering authority but rather seen as a practical approach to improving services for city residents.
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