Is Nairobi on autopilot?

What began as a rosy affair between governor Johnson Sakaja and Members of the County Assembly has turned frosty three years on, with the majority now claiming that the city is on autopilot.

His administration was once touted as the dream team to deliver for Nairobians, anchored on promises of restoring hope and dignity for residents.

But those slogans now feel hollow; garbage still chokes estates, the health sector struggles, education remains a puzzle and congestion persists as hawkers flood key areas of the city centre.

Sakaja, elected on a UDA ticket, was initially seen as fortunate for securing the goodwill of the opposition-dominated Assembly, despite his party being the minority.

Three years on, however, a majority of Nairobi leaders from both sides of the political divide say the governor has lost track of—and touch with—the city’s problems.

Recently, MCAs vowed to send Sakaja home over failed promises and for sidelining them, with some claiming that under his watch, many projects have stalled.

Still, this has been dismissed by some observers as the usual political push-and-pull. Yet in their own words, ward representatives insist that things are not working, contrary to Sakaja’s slogan “Lazima iwork.”

A spot check by The Sunday Standard in city estates found garbage collection remains a major headache, with heaps of waste piling up in Mukuru slums, Kawangware, Enterprise Road, Huruma and other areas.

Another attempt to decongest the city centre by relocating hawkers to backstreet lanes has flopped, with traders resorting to cat-and-mouse games with county officers.

Relocation of hawkers

Matatu operators also stood their ground, refusing to move an inch, leaving the Sh100 million plan in limbo.

The initiative has largely collapsed. Most hawkers dismissed the designated lanes as unsafe, dimly lit alleys, with only two of the 27 in use. What was meant to be a dignified solution has instead morphed into an urban nuisance.

Stalls along Dubois Lane and Kenneth Matiba Road now lie abandoned, repurposed as open-air toilets. At night and in the early hours, they serve as public conveniences, creating health risks and compounding the city’s sanitation crisis.

Elsewhere, the education and health sectors fare no better. Public hospitals remain congested, while the much-hyped school feeding programme continues to be clouded in mystery.

Former Nairobi Mayor Geoffrey Majiwa, now the Babadogo MCA, is among senior politicians who argue that Governor Sakaja’s administration has fallen short of residents’ expectations.

“Nairobi is not working. Even now, contractors are refusing county jobs because they are not being paid, yet we pass the budget every year,” Majiwa said.

He added that Sakaja’s flagship programme, Dishi na County, the school feeding initiative, remains shrouded in scandal and has already been flagged by the Auditor-General.

The former mayor, elected on an ODM ticket, described Sakaja as “not a team player,” accusing him of sidelining others and focusing on public relations to create an impression that things are running smoothly.

Majiwa recalled that in 2024, a special committee was formed to investigate dwindling and opaque revenue collection, but the final report was never tabled in the Assembly, raising fears it may have been sabotaged.

He further pointed to the health sector as one of Nairobi’s most sensitive areas, warning that it requires urgent and sober intervention.

“Challenges in county hospitals are raised in the health committee almost daily. Nairobi residents are not getting adequate medication or treatment. In fact, some of the doctors recently hired are struggling to issue prescriptions,” he claimed.

Garbage menace

Dandora I MCA Allan Gathuku echoed the concerns, saying Governor Sakaja has failed to tackle Nairobi’s persistent problems, especially garbage collection.

He noted that while each governor has had their own approach to the city’s waste crisis, Sakaja’s strategy seems ineffective.

“His plan was for the county to acquire garbage trucks to cut out contractors. But sometimes we are told the trucks have no fuel, and even then, they are too few to serve all wards and sub-counties,” Gathuku explained.

He further questioned the county’s opaque revenue system: “This raises serious questions about where the money being collected goes. It is still unclear how much the city collects from its many revenue streams.”

Gathuku recalled that the Assembly once formed a committee to investigate the mystery around revenue collection, but the process was undermined and collapsed, blame later shifted to the Assembly leadership.

At the same time, he accused the governor of creating parallel groups that undermine elected leaders at the ward level.

Meanwhile, Sakaja has largely gone silent on the growing scrutiny of his administration. Some elected leaders argue his main focus has been on beautifying the city centre and making frequent appearances at national functions alongside President William Ruto and Raila Odinga, sometimes far from Nairobi.

They claim the governor could be seeking to endear himself to both party leaders, President Ruto and Raila, for political survival.

During President Ruto’s city tour in March 2025, Sakaja made headlines when he requested a chapati-making machine, a move that leaders ridiculed as a misplaced priority for the capital city.

Nairobi South MCA Waithera Chege argued that the current city administration is detached from pressing issues, while the Executive wing seems preoccupied with political optics rather than delivering on pledges.

“That is why we have stalled projects and residents are asking questions. Members also feel the governor is completely out of touch with the ground and the MCAs,” she said.

Roysambu MCA Sospeter Mumbi stressed there was no need to remain silent as Nairobi residents continue to suffer without essential services.

“We are tired of kneeling before the governor, CECs, and chief officers, because they have ignored us, the Members,” said Mumbi.

Nairobi CBD MCA Mwaniki Kwenya went further, accusing the governor of working with opponents of sitting MCAs ahead of the 2027 elections instead of coordinating development with elected leaders.

Sakaja under fire as MCAs say Nairobi is on autopilot Garbage, stalled projects and fury: Sakaja’s City Hall dream sours. From hope to hostility: MCAs revolt against Sakaja’s rule.