Sakaja calls NMS 'defilement of devolution', defends county record

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has termed the 2020 creation of the Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) a “defilement of devolution,” saying the agency left the county with a Sh16 billion hole in pending bills.

“In the year 2020, Nairobi got into a misadventure that ended up being costly. The NMS experiment left us with a 16 billion hole in pending bills, low staff morale due to mistreatment and a defilement of devolution,” said Sakaja.

He made the remarks on Tuesday, February 11, during his 2026 State of the County Address at City Hall, where he responded to claims that his administration has ceded functions to President William Ruto’s government.

“I honour the mandate the people of Nairobi gave me. They entrusted me with constitutional powers to transform the city. I will not betray that trust,” Sakaja noted.

The NMS, formed under former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, took over key county functions in 2020 following an agreement between the national government and the Nairobi County executive.

Sakaja maintained that functions assigned to counties under the Constitution remain intact, even as he pledged cooperation with the national government.

“Nairobi is not just a county; it is the capital city and collaboration with the National Government is inevitable; infact it is encouraged,” he explained.

He said his administration inherited debt, backlog and structural imbalance. A forensic audit reviewed pending bills from Sh119.5 billion to Sh71.6 billion across 12 financial years, he disclosed.

On revenue, Sakaja reported that the county collected Sh13.8 billion in own-source revenue in the last financial year. A new valuation roll identified more than 30,000 unvalued properties and 21,000 new properties, raising collections from Sh2.48 billion to Sh3.3 billion.

“Our target now is Sh6.5 billion,” he said.

He cited the Dishi na County programme as a key intervention in Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres and public primary schools.

“Today, 323,470 learners in 230 ECDs and public primary schools eat a hot meal daily. We have served over 72 million meals through our 17 Central Kitchens and our partners Giga Kitchen,” Sakaja observed.

The programme has created 2,500 jobs and supported farmers supplying foodstuffs, he added.

On education, he said the county supported the national government’s 100 per cent transition policy by constructing classrooms and providing Sh100 million in capitation for more than 30,000 learners.

“This January, I issued scholarships worth 170 million shillings to 3,828 beneficiaries and processed ward bursaries for 56,525 learners, totalling 295.5 million shillings — the highest allocation since devolution began,” he stated.

Through the Ward Development Programme (WDP), allocations rose from Sh715.8 million in the 2022/23 financial year to Sh857.7 million in 2024/25, with total payments of Sh2.7 billion.

Sakaja said the county rehabilitated 147 kilometres of roads using county funds and a further 61 kilometres through the fuel levy.

He said the county permanently employed 4,500 sanitation workers, engaged 150 technical support staff and installed 1,000 litter bins. It partnered with 63 recycling companies, 125 private waste providers and 79 community-based organisations.

“Dandora dumpsite has been improved,” he said.

He added that collaboration with the Social Health Authority (SHA) enabled 2.5 million residents to receive screenings and vaccinations, and that all county hospitals have been upgraded to Level five.

On land administration, Sakaja said the county surveyed more than 8,500 plots and issued close to 3,000 lease titles.

“We have issued close to 3,000 lease titles to Nairobians and institutions that have been long unjustly deprived of their property. Currently, we have 5,000 leases that are being finalised at the Ministry of Lands; once they are done, we will issue them to the rightful owners,” he said.

He further disclosed that the recruitment of 1,460 city constables restored order, removed illegal structures and regulated traffic in the capital.