Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has reiterated the need for Nairobi to be treated differently, noting that the capital is not just a county but also the country’s capital city serving millions of people every day.
The Governor said the city’s biggest challenge is not leadership but inadequate funding to meet its growing demands.
Speaking on the state of the county, Sakaja said Nairobi requires at least KSh60 billion annually to effectively address infrastructure challenges and deliver essential services to residents.
“I am not overwhelmed, I am under-resourced. Nairobi needs at least KSh60 billion every year to address the challenges and development needs in a better way,” Sakaja explained.
According to the Governor, when he assumed office the county’s own-source revenue stood at KSh8 billion annually, but his administration has since increased it to KSh13.8 billion last year. Despite the improvement, he noted that the amount remains insufficient for a city that serves millions of residents daily.
He explained that Nairobi operates as a service city, employing thousands of workers including doctors, cleaners, sweepers and other public servants who maintain essential operations.
“For example, Mama Lucy Hospital alone has about 1,200 staff, yet Nairobi ideally needs about six facilities of the same scale to adequately serve residents,” he said.
Sakaja argued that most major global cities operate through financing arrangements with their national governments to bridge funding gaps, adding that Nairobi should not be different.
“Go to any capital city in the world and you will find an arrangement with the national government to support city financing,” he said.
The Governor welcomed the cooperation framework between the county and the administration of President William Ruto, saying the agreement will unlock additional resources for development.
Through the partnership, Nairobi is expected to benefit from an additional KSh80 billion from the national government, funds that Sakaja says will significantly accelerate infrastructure projects and improve service delivery.
“There has been a lot of ridicule around H.E.’s ‘Singapore dream,’ but having a vision for our country does not mean we are perfect or that all our challenges have been solved. It means we dare to aspire to something better and work toward it,” Sakaja said.
He added that the president is the first to commit to addressing financing gaps in cities through the cooperation agreement.
“Notably, he is the first president to commit to addressing city financing gaps through the cooperation agreement, demonstrating concrete steps toward improving our cities. That is why this cooperation is good. We shall see a difference,” he said.
Sakaja also explained that counties face structural financing limitations because they cannot borrow to run deficits like the national government.
“The national government can say this is what we want to do for the people, collect part of the money and borrow the rest,” he said. “Counties do not have deficit financing. All we have is revenue collection and the equitable share from the national government, which for Nairobi is still not enough.”
He said unlocking new financing streams and strengthening cooperation between the two levels of government remains key to solving the capital’s long-standing infrastructure and service delivery challenges.
Addressing criticism of the president’s ambitious development vision, often referred to as the “Singapore dream,” Sakaja defended the idea of setting high national aspirations.
“Having a vision does not mean we are perfect or that all our challenges are solved,” he said. “It means we dare to aspire to something better and work toward it.”
He added that the president’s commitment to addressing financing gaps in cities demonstrates a practical step toward improving urban development across the country.
