As Nairobi joins the world in celebrating Customer Service Week, Governor Johnson Sakaja has highlighted the transformative progress his administration has made in establishing and strengthening the Customer Service and Public Participation department introduced just two and a half years ago.

Sakaja said the departments have become crucial in ensuring that Nairobi residents are heard, served efficiently, and involved in the county’s decision-making process.

“Customer service is an integral part of any institution or business. Nairobi is a service county, and in fact, it was long overdue to have such a department, if you have an issue touching on business, payments, or county services, there’s now a structured place to be assisted,” Sakaja said.

The Governor noted that with over 7 million people in Nairobi during the day and about 5 million at night, there was an urgent need for a central system to handle the city’s growing service demands.

On public participation, Sakaja emphasized that it is not just a constitutional process but a guiding principle of good governance.

“Before you do anything, carry people along,We never used to have a Public Participation Department or even dedicated officers. Yet, for any project to succeed, citizens must be engaged. We created this department, and now Nairobi has held some of the largest and most frequent public participation forums ever. People feel recognized by their government,” he said.

To enhance customer experience, the County Government has renovated an entire wing of City Hall Annex, transforming it into a modern customer service center.

“People now have a comfortable space to visit, and more officers are available to listen to their issues. It’s far better than it was,” Sakaja remarked.

In addition, several Customer Service Centre have been established across the city including Ruai, Starehe, and other areas to bring services closer to the people.Sakaja also lauded the automation of county services, which allows Nairobians to access and pay for services online through the NairobiPay platform.

“Today, customers can log in, choose the service they want, make payment, and even print licenses from the comfort of their homes,This has drastically reduced the long queues that used to be seen at City Hall,” Sakaja explained.

To further simplify business operations, the county introduced the Unified Business License, allowing business owners to pay for a single license that consolidates all other permits.

“This reform has made doing business in Nairobi easier, faster, and more transparent,” Governor added.

As the county celebrates Customer Service Week, Sakaja reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to making Nairobi’s Government more responsive, efficient, and people-centered.