Nairobi — Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has stated that the county government will not transfer any of its constitutional functions to the National Government, dismissing speculation sparked by his recent meeting with President William Ruto.
Speaking during his State of the County Address at the Nairobi County Assembly on Wednesday, Sakaja said Nairobi remains fully committed to protecting devolution, even as it continues to collaborate with the national administration.
"The functions bestowed upon us by the Constitution will remain county functions. We shall not transfer them," he declared.
He termed claims that his engagement with President Ruto signaled a handover of key county roles as a "misadventure," drawing a clear distinction between intergovernmental cooperation and constitutional overreach.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
According to the Governor, Nairobi's status as the capital city makes collaboration inevitable, but not at the expense of devolved authority.
Sakaja pointed to the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) period as a cautionary example, saying it left the county financially strained and operationally disrupted.
He revealed that Nairobi inherited approximately Sh16 billion in pending bills from the NMS era, which he said created a significant financial gap.
"That period left a huge hole. We are still dealing with about Sh16 billion in pending bills," he told the Assembly.
The Governor further noted that beyond the financial burden, the NMS arrangement negatively affected staff morale within the county government, complicating service delivery and administrative stability.
Despite maintaining close working ties with the National Government, Sakaja emphasized that such cooperation will strictly respect constitutional boundaries.
"Nairobi's position as the capital city makes intergovernmental collaboration both inevitable and necessary -- but not at the expense of devolution," he said.
His remarks come amid growing political scrutiny over county-national relations, with Sakaja moving to reassure leaders and residents that Nairobi's devolved mandate remains firmly intact.
