NAIROBI, Kenya Apr 9 \u2013 President William Ruto on Thursday delivered a historic address to the Nairobi County Assembly, unveiling sweeping progress, ambitious plans, and timelines under the Cooperation Agreement with Governor Sakaja Johnson, aimed at transforming the capital into a modern, efficient, and globally competitive city.<\/p>\n
In his landmark speech the first by a sitting President to the Assembly 13 years after devolution Ruto underscored Nairobi\u2019s central role as Kenya\u2019s capital and economic engine, contributing over 27.5 percent of the national economy.<\/p>\n
\u201cNairobi is not just any other county; it is the face of Kenya. This agreement is not political; it is a national correction to fix challenges too large for one level of government,\u201d Ruto explained.<\/p>\n
Ruto declared a firm stance against entrenched cartels blamed for Nairobi\u2019s dysfunction, likening the effort to past crackdowns in the fuel and sugar sectors.<\/p>\n
He warned that illegal developments, encroachment on public land, and riparian zones would be addressed decisively, even if it means demolitions.<\/p>\n
\u201cChange has a cost, and we are ready to pay it,\u201d he said, revealing that even State House had received notice over a section built on riparian land. \u201cWe must apply the same standards to everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the heart of the cooperation framework is an additional Sh80 billion investment jointly implemented by the national and county governments.<\/p>\n
Key projects highlighted include street lighting: installation of 50,000 new lights and rehabilitation of 40,000 existing ones, bringing the total to over 100,000 within six months to boost security. Furthermore, electricity access will be expanded to informal settlements, including Kibera, Korogocho, Mathare, and Kamukunji, within three months.<\/p>\n
Also, roads and drainage: construction of 247km of urban roads, with 63km nearing completion and 58km set to begin this month, alongside major drainage upgrades to curb flooding.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn six months, Nairobi will be brighter, safer, and more secure,\u201d Ruto said.<\/p>\n
The President announced the allocation of 100 acres of land for a modern waste management system, backed by Sh2 billion annually from the national government.<\/p>\n
The initiative aims to shift Nairobi from basic waste collection to full recycling and reuse systems, with visible results expected within six months.<\/p>\n
He also called out public resistance to reforms:<\/p>\n
\u201cWe cannot complain about floods and, at the same time, resist drainage expansion or oppose action against illegal dumping.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ruto singled out Gikomba Market for urgent redevelopment, promising a complete facelift within six months under a phased plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is unacceptable that, in a capital city, traders must wear gumboots to access a market of national importance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The plan also includes enhanced security through a digital command centre and CCTV surveillance system across the city.<\/p>\n
To address long-standing water and sanitation challenges, the government is implementing two parallel 27km sewer lines and a 60,000 cubic metre sewer treatment facility.<\/p>\n
The projects are already underway and are expected to significantly improve sanitation services.<\/p>\n
The President revealed that over 360 housing projects are ongoing under the affordable housing programme, aimed at delivering modern housing and improving living standards.<\/p>\n
He emphasized a shift from reactive to strategic urban planning, noting Nairobi\u2019s rapid growth from 300,000 people in the 1960s to over 7 million today.<\/p>\n
Ruto clarified that the cooperation framework is not a return to the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) model, but a constitutional partnership anchored in Article 189 and the Urban Areas and Cities Act.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not about weakening devolution; it is about working together for the benefit of all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Backing Governor Sakaja\u2019s long-standing push for intergovernmental collaboration, Ruto said the agreement marks a turning point in the city\u2019s management.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have managed Nairobi reactively for too long. We are now fixing Nairobi to make it work,\u201d he said. \u201cThose benefiting from the status quo their time is over.\u201d<\/p>\n
While joining the President to address the crowd that had gathered at the County Assembly entrance, Nairobi Governor Sakaja reiterated that the Cooperation Agreement will transform Nairobi into a first-world city and serve as a game-changer for its future.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe agreed to this cooperation. The naysayers claimed it is a transfer of functions; it is not. It is a cooperation agreement to accelerate development projects in the county. It is a matter of when, not if, and we shall be in a position to see the work that has been done.\u201d<\/p>\n
This comes as the duo say they are focused on transforming the county into a world-class city under the two-year cooperation agreement.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NAIROBI, Kenya Apr 9 \u2013 President William Ruto on Thursday delivered a historic address to the Nairobi County Assembly, unveiling sweeping progress, ambitious plans, and timelines under the Cooperation Agreement with Governor Sakaja Johnson, aimed at transforming the capital into a modern, efficient, and globally competitive city. In his landmark speech the first by a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-137181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137181","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=137181"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137181\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=137181"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=137181"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=137181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}