Johnson Sakaja defends Nairobi cooperation pact

An Sh80 billion cooperation deal between Nairobi County and the national government just got grilled hard by the Senate.

Sakaja's pitch to the Senate committee

• Johnson Sakaja defended the agreement as legally sound on Wednesday.
• He compared Nairobi's Sh45 billion budget to Paris's Sh1.5 trillion.
• Seven million residents versus two million in the French capital.
• Cooperation, not power surrender, was his core argument.

Why he says Nairobi needs this deal

• Standard county funding cannot sustain a capital-city mandate.
• Sh1 billion already dropped for classroom construction projects.
• A Sh50 billion Nairobi River and sewer rehab project is underway.
• Sakaja argued that street lighting is a national-security responsibility.

NMS comparisons got shut down fast

• Sakaja clarified that this is not a function transfer under Article 187.
• No separate entity or formal deed exists in the arrangement.
• County government reportedly stays in control of operations.
• The national government only provides development-focused support muscle.

Public participation became a hot topic

• Senators flagged that residents were not consulted before signing.
• Sakaja cited mandatory cooperation language in the Constitution.
• Section 6 of the Urban Areas and Cities Act was his defense.
• Charter Hall forums across 17 sub-counties launched regardless.

Who keeps tabs on the cash

• The National Assembly oversees funds under the national government structures.
• The Senate handles oversight on anything touching devolved interests.
• Sakaja assured that constitutional safeguards remain fully active.
• Final recommendations from the committee are still pending review.