Nairobi Governor
Johnson Sakaja found himself on the receiving end of a scathing rebuke from
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna during a Senate committee hearing on Thursday, over claims that the public had been properly consulted on the
city’s proposed development agreement.
“Clause 6.2 provides
that agreements, together with amendments, must be considered. What you are
calling public participation is not empirical. People can mobilise crowds to
say what they want. The law says there must be an agreement. Surely, Governor,
you know what you are saying is not true,” Sifuna thundered, leaning forward as
he addressed Sakaja directly.
The heated exchange
unfolded as the committee sought clarity on whether Sakaja had genuinely
engaged citizens before advancing the multi-billion-shilling agreement that
aims to transform Nairobi’s infrastructure and revenue systems.
Sakaja, defending
his approach, insisted that the county had followed proper procedure.
“We took the draft
document through public participation because people need a document to
discuss. If we did not have a draft, what would we have consulted on?” he asked.
Sifuna was
unrelenting, emphasising the distinction between genuine citizen engagement and
orchestrated events.
“You have done
public participation many times, but it is on a vote, not empirical. Tomorrow,
if people reject what you propose, what are the consequences? You cannot claim
that a few mobilised voices represent Nairobi,” the Senator said.
The exchange drew
sharp attention to the legal and constitutional framework governing public
participation in county development projects.
Sifuna reminded the
committee that public consultation is meant to be binding and representative,
not a superficial formality.
He cited previous
projects, including the Woodley housing initiative, where proper consultation
preceded any groundbreaking, underscoring what he described as Sakaja’s
inconsistent approach.
Acknowledging the
concerns, Sakaja admitted that public participation could be improved.
“Senator, you’re
right. We can do it better. We’ve heard the views of the public, and we will
review them at different levels of government,” he said.
The confrontation
highlighted the growing scrutiny on Nairobi’s governance and transparency,
especially regarding high-value development projects that have signalled
heightened oversight by lawmakers determined to ensure that citizen voices are
genuinely reflected in key decisions affecting the capital’s growth.