Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is expected to sign a cooperation agreement with the national government on Monday, February 16, 2026.
The media has been invited to cover the event, which is scheduled to start at 3pm at State House, Nairobi.
The agreement, to be formalised between President William Ruto’s administration and the Nairobi County Government, aims to improve service delivery in the city amid growing concerns over inefficiencies in essential urban services.
The partnership is expected to focus on critical areas such as solid waste management, infrastructure development, and other core services that have faced operational and financial challenges at City Hall.
Under the arrangement, the national government will provide technical expertise, funding, and operational support to help accelerate improvements for Nairobi’s rapidly growing population.
The planned cooperation has drawn comparisons to the 2020 transfer of functions that led to the creation of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), under which several county functions were managed by the national government to restore order and fast-track development projects.
Governor Sakaja has emphasised that the new framework is meant to enhance collaboration, not to hand over the county’s constitutional mandate. He said the goal is to strengthen service delivery through intergovernmental support.
Legal experts note that any formal transfer of devolved functions must follow constitutional procedures, including approval by the Nairobi County Assembly and the signing of a deed of transfer outlining the specific roles, scope, and duration of the arrangement.
The agreement comes as Nairobi residents continue to demand better waste collection, improved roads and drainage, and more efficient urban management.
However, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has expressed caution over the signing. He posted on X: “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. As we await to see what the actual thing is I remind @SakajaJohnson 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 to devolution shall be strenuously resisted. A comprehensive statement shall follow.”
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