Sakaja Speaks on Nairobi County Being Placed Under a CEO
Sakaja has been under scrutiny after reports emerged that he had surrendered county government functions to the national government...
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Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has expressed strong opposition to proposals to place Nairobi County under a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), warning it would lead to significant financial and developmental crises. He drew parallels to the period under the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), which he claims left the county with substantial debt.
- Sakaja cited the NMS era (2020-2022) as a cautionary tale, during which it accumulated Ksh16 billion in pending bills.
- The NMS was established following a Deed of Transfer of Functions signed between then-Governor Mike Sonko and President Uhuru Kenyatta, due to a leadership crisis and corruption allegations at City Hall.
- Governor Sakaja, who has led the city for three years, denied reports of surrendering county functions to the national government, stating that any such transfer would be from the national government to the county.
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Governors Boycott Senate as Debates Continue on NG-CDF and Nairobi Governance - February 2026
The Council of Governors (CoG) has initiated a boycott of Senate oversight committees, leading to a suspension of appearances before the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC). The CoG cited claims of extortion and harassment by some senators as the reason for the boycott, which human rights groups warned undermines accountability. In a separate matter concerning governance, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja expressed strong opposition to proposals to place Nairobi County under a Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He warned this move would lead to financial crises, referencing the period under the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS). Meanwhile, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula defended the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), stating that it complements rather than duplicates the work of county governments.
