Nairobi — Nandi Senator Kiprotich Cherargei has lauded President William Ruto for what he termed a decisive intervention to "rescue" Nairobi City County from alleged maladministration under Governor Johnson Sakaja, even as the move sparked renewed debate over the future of devolution in the capital.
In a statement Tuesday, Cherargei accused the Nairobi county administration of poor service delivery, weak development performance, corruption and incompetence, arguing that increased national government involvement would help restore the city's trajectory toward global standards.
"I thank President William Samoei Ruto and his government for coming to rescue Nairobi City County from Governor Sakaja's maladministration marked by poor service delivery, a weak development record, corruption and incompetence at an unprecedented level that threatens devolution," Cherargei said.
He added that the planned intervention would form part of a broader Nairobi City County regeneration programme aimed at transforming the capital into a world-class metropolis.
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"This will be positive action towards the Nairobi City County regeneration programme to the standard of a world-class city -- Singaporean status," he said.
Cherargei further proposed constitutional amendments to alter the governance structure of the capital, arguing that Nairobi's unique position as Kenya's capital and host to major international agencies warrants a distinct governance framework.
"In future, Nairobi City County should be governed as a metropolis by the National Government outside the devolved system because of its unique nature as the capital city, host of international agencies and the face of Kenya. To achieve this, we must amend the Constitution," he said.
Devolution undermined
However, the proposal drew sharp criticism from Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who warned against any action that could undermine Kenya's devolved system of governance.
Sifuna expressed concern over reports of a planned signing ceremony at State House involving the National Government and Nairobi County, noting that Governor Johnson Sakaja had previously assured leaders that no county functions would be transferred to the national level.
"The Governor of Nairobi assured us he wasn't transferring any functions to the National Government. I'm surprised to see a scheduled signing ceremony at State House this afternoon," Sifuna said.
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He urged the county leadership to strictly adhere to constitutional provisions, particularly regarding public participation and consultation with elected leaders, cautioning that any reassignment of devolved functions without due process would face resistance.
"I remind Governor Sakaja to be mindful of the provisions of the Constitution and the need for involvement of the electorate and the leadership of Nairobi prior to making such decisions. Any unconstitutional clawback on devolution shall be strenuously resisted," Sifuna added, noting that a comprehensive statement would follow.
The planned State House ceremony comes amid reports that the National Government is set to enter into a cooperation framework with Nairobi County to jointly manage or take over key functions in the capital -- a move officials say is intended to improve service delivery.
The development has reignited debate over Nairobi's governance, drawing comparisons to the 2020 transfer of functions that led to the establishment of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) under the national government.
While county officials have described the proposed framework as a partnership aimed at enhancing efficiency, critics argue that any transfer of devolved functions must comply with constitutional requirements, including approval by the Nairobi County Assembly and meaningful public participation.
