Assembly forms special committee to review county-state agreement

Nairobi County Assembly. [File, Standard]

The Nairobi County Assembly on Friday formed a 21-member  Ad hoc (special) Committee to scrutinise the cooperation agreement signed between Nairobi County and the national government.

The agreement signed in the State House on February 17 allows the national government to help in running some key projects in the city, including waste management, roads, and water distribution, among others.

 The committee will be chaired by Assembly Speaker Kennedy Ngondi and deputised by Majority Leader Peter Imwatok and other members drawn from both the majority and the minority side.

Their task will include studying the cooperation agreement, unpacking its contents and implications, and the role of the county assembly as far as implementation of the agreement is concerned. 

They will also be required to look at the impact of the agreement on the budget-making process for the financial year 2025-2026 and the financial year 2026-2027, and conduct public participation in the cooperation agreement guided by all relevant laws. 

Afterwards, the committee has 11 days to complete the task and will be required to table a report in the county assembly recommending the approval of the agreement or others.

During a debate on a motion tabled for the formation of the Committee, some MCAs raised major concerns, citing that it seemed the outcome of the agreement scrutiny had been decided.

Others noted the composition of the Committee was unfair, citing that the Assembly leaders ought to have been excluded.

"On the contrary opinion, I suggest the sectoral committee should handle the matter based on the subject matter.

We want this process to succeed, but why not involve the concerned committees like Environment, water, finance," Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai stated

Adding that, "Leaders are already in charge of guiding members in this house, but if you have the whole leadership and members of the speaker’s panel, when will members learn to participate in such processes?"

Former Mayor Godfrey Majiwa, who is currently Babadogo Ward Rep, noted that the composition of the Committee ought to have been expanded so as to ensure public participation is conducted in all the 85 Wards in Nairobi.

"It has to be that individual wards have their own time to do their own public participation. Because even a single ward left out can petition this arrangement," observed Majiwa

 Minority Leader Antony Kiragu insisted that the cooperation agreement is a collaboration and not a takeover, urging the Ward Reps and city residents to embrace it for the sake of development in Nairobi

"I have gone through the document, and I want to urge members to take their time and go through the 13-page document very keenly. I believe the members of the committee will take their roles seriously," Kiragu told the House.