Nandi Senator Kiprotich Cherargei has commended President William Ruto for what he termed a bold and timely intervention to “rescue” Nairobi City County from alleged mismanagement under Governor Johnson Sakaja. The senator’s remarks have reignited debate over the future of devolution and the governance of Kenya’s capital.
In a statement on Tuesday, Cherargei accused the Sakaja-led administration of presiding over poor service delivery, rampant corruption, and weak development performance. He argued that the national government’s increased involvement would help restore efficiency and accountability in the city’s management.
“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 intervention aligns with a broader Nairobi regeneration agenda aimed at transforming the capital into a modern, globally competitive metropolis. “This will be positive action towards the Nairobi City County regeneration programme to the standard of a world-class city — Singaporean status,” he noted.
Cherargei also called for constitutional reforms to redefine Nairobi’s governance structure, arguing that the city’s unique role as Kenya’s capital and host to international institutions requires a distinct administrative model.
“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.
His comments come amid renewed discussions on the balance between national oversight and county autonomy in Nairobi, a city that remains central to Kenya’s political and economic identity.
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