Nairobi MPs say Sakaja ignoring calls for unity

A growing rift between Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and Members of Parliament from the city has come to light, with several legislators accusing the county chief of ignoring their calls for collaboration and stalling development efforts across constituencies.

The MPs, speaking during a joint televised interview on Thursday,  said that their efforts to coordinate projects with the Governor’s office have hit a wall, resulting in poor service delivery in the capital.

Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi was among those who expressed frustration, saying the governor has made no effort to engage with MPs despite repeated attempts.

"I have persistently tried to reach the Governor in vain; some of these MPs here will tell you the same thing that he neither picks our phone calls or meets us," Wanyonyi said, adding, "Any governor who is working with local leaders, including MCAs and MPs, has their job made easy."

Starehe MP Amos Mwago backed Wanyonyi’s remarks, arguing that the strained working relationship has persisted since the last election and appears to be beyond repair.

"The governor of Nairobi sidelined us right from the time we were elected on an Azimio la Umoja ticket. I am not sure whether it will be possible to sit down together with him and salvage the situation with just two years remaining until the next election," Mwago stated.

Lang’ata MP Phelix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalang’o, said the lack of engagement with the county government has stalled numerous projects in Nairobi's constituencies.

"If we could be able to work together with the 17 constituencies of Nairobi, it would be a very good thing, but a lot of projects in our constituencies have stalled due to the lack of proper coordination with the county leadership," said Odiwuor.

Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje noted that this issue is not isolated to Nairobi alone, but a broader problem across other counties where governors have failed to work hand-in-hand with MPs.

"We have a few challenges here and there on our coordination with the County government, but I do not think it is just Nairobi alone, but several other counties in the country," Mwenje observed.

He added that counties receive large budget allocations, but these funds are not translating into visible development compared to what MPs are able to achieve with the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) and Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) funds.

"Counties are allocated huge sums of money, but they cannot deliver tangible benefits to the people, yet as MPs, we manage to impact lives with the funds from NG-CDF and KeRRA," he said.

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino echoed the sentiments, accusing Governor Sakaja of neglecting the city’s elected representatives and failing to unify efforts for the benefit of Nairobi residents.

"I am proud of being Embakasi East MP, but not as proud to be associated with Nairobi County. All the 17 MPs in Nairobi County work very hard, but they are neglected as orphans by the County Governor," Owino stated.

He hinted at future political ambitions but indicated that poor county governance may influence who runs for office.

"Age is still on my side, and I could harbour my political ambitions until later. However, if Nairobi County was working well, nobody would be seeking to unseat the current leadership," Owino said.

Kibra MP Peter Orero also called on governors to stop ignoring MPs and instead seek ways to cooperate for the good of residents.

"Governors think of MPs as enemies. They only focus on MCAs and senators, and this should be re-examined as it was not envisioned at the inception of devolution," said Orero.

Some of the MPs now planning to contest for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat in the 2027 General Election include Babu Owino and Tim Wanyonyi.

Their intentions signal a possible shift in the county’s political landscape, especially amid concerns over Governor Sakaja’s leadership style.