Sakaja Demands End to Electricity Levy, Says it is Holding Back Street Lighting
The Governor insisted that the levy should be redirected or restructured so that the money can be used to improve street lighting and urban security in Nairobi, which he described as a service county with unique needs...
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Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has called for an immediate end to the Rural Electrification levy on city residents, arguing it unfairly burdens them and hinders urban development. He proposes redirecting these funds to improve street lighting and security in Nairobi.
- Nairobi residents pay Sh8 billion annually in electricity bills, which includes the Rural Electrification charge, despite living in an urban county.
- Governor Sakaja also reported that Nairobi County's own-source revenue rose to Sh13.8 billion this year, the highest since devolution, up from Sh10.8 billion when he took office.
- He criticized the national road-funding formula, noting counties control 70% of the road network but receive only Sh3 billion out of Sh119 billion allocated nationally, urging the Senate to reform this disparity.
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Governor Sakaja Reports Sh32B Reduction in Pending Bills; Demands Control of National Park - November 2025
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja informed the Senate Committee on Devolution that City Hall's inherited pending bills have decreased by Sh32 billion over three years, from Sh118 billion to Sh86 billion. He also highlighted significant improvements in own-source revenue collection. In other matters, Sakaja has called for an immediate end to the Rural Electrification levy on city residents, arguing it hinders urban development and that funds should be redirected to improve street lighting in Nairobi. The governor is also demanding that the national government hand over control and revenue collection of the Nairobi National Park to Nairobi County, citing precedents set with other counties.
