Following the advent of devolution, Evans Kidero remains the only governor who managed to steer Nairobi County without facing massive external interference from the national government.

The battle for control over Kenya's capital city has evolved into a high-stakes geopolitical war, pitting elected governors against the formidable machinery of the national executive. The autonomy of Nairobi is rapidly eroding under the guise of collaborative governance.

This power struggle matters profoundly because Nairobi generates over 60% of Kenya's GDP. Whoever controls the capital's infrastructure, revenue streams, and massive procurement budget wields disproportionate influence over the entire nation's economic and political trajectory.

The Kidero Anomaly and the Devolution Dream

When devolution was midwifed in 2013, the objective was clear: decentralize power and resources to the grassroots. Dr. Evans Kidero, the inaugural Governor of Nairobi, navigated his tenure with a level of operational independence that his successors can only dream of. Despite facing immense administrative and political challenges, Kidero managed to keep the national government at arm's length. He controlled the county's substantial budget and dictated the pace of urban development, albeit with varying degrees of success. His era represents the peak of Nairobi's devolved autonomy, a fleeting moment when the City Hall was truly insulated from State House machinations.

However, the national government quickly realized the strategic peril of allowing an opposition-aligned figure absolute control over the nation's economic heartbeat. The immense revenue potential and the visibility of the capital made it too lucrative a prize to be left to the whims of independent county politics. The subsequent administrations would face a systemic and calculated erosion of their constitutional mandates, setting the stage for the current era of forced "cooperation."

The Sonko Debacle and the NMS Takeover

The tenure of Mike Sonko provided the perfect pretext for State House to execute a hostile takeover. Sonko's chaotic administrative style and public spats created a governance vacuum that the national executive was all too eager to fill. The creation of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), commanded by a military general, marked a dark turning point for devolution. Under the guise of restoring order and service delivery, the national government effectively stripped the county of its core functions—health, transport, public works, and planning—along with the corresponding budgetary allocations.

This unprecedented move bypassed the constitutional spirit of devolution. It demonstrated that the national government viewed Nairobi not as an independent county, but as a strategic asset to be managed directly from the presidency. The NMS era normalized the idea that Nairobi's governors are merely ceremonial figureheads, operating at the mercy of the national executive's goodwill. This structural subjugation laid the groundwork for the current dynamics facing the incumbent administration.

• Revenue Centralization: The continuous push by the national treasury to control Nairobi's internal revenue collection mechanisms.
• Infrastructure Dominance: Major transport and housing projects within the city being directly tendered and managed by national ministries.
• Political Leverage: Using state security and anti-corruption agencies to keep city hall officials compliant and aligned with national agendas.

The Sakaja Era: Cooperation or Capitulation?

Current Governor Johnson Sakaja finds himself navigating an incredibly narrow political corridor. His recent signing of a cooperation deal with the national government—brokered heavily by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi—has raised critical questions. Is this a pragmatic move to secure vital funding for a struggling city, or is it a complete capitulation to the greed of State House? Critics argue that the deal is a formalized surrender of county autonomy, allowing the national executive to dictate policy and control lucrative city contracts under the banner of "synergy."

The financial stakes are staggering. Nairobi's annual budget, coupled with the potential for massive infrastructure investments, represents a multi-billion shilling enterprise. The national government's insistence on a "broad-based" approach to city management is viewed by many as a sophisticated mechanism to siphon county resources and award contracts to politically connected elites. Sakaja's ability to deliver on his mandate is now inextricably linked to the political goodwill of the President.

A Regulatory Tightrope for Urban Governance

The ongoing struggle for Nairobi highlights a fundamental flaw in the architecture of Kenyan devolution. The capital city occupies a unique, hybrid space—it is simultaneously a devolved unit and the seat of national power. This duality creates perpetual friction. The national government argues that Nairobi's infrastructure and security are matters of national interest, requiring central oversight. Devolution purists counter that bypassing the elected governor disenfranchises the millions of city residents who voted for local autonomy.

Moving forward, the relationship between City Hall and State House will require careful legislative refinement to prevent the complete subjugation of the county. Without robust legal safeguards, Nairobi risks becoming a mere department of the national executive.

As the tug-of-war for the city's soul continues, the ultimate losers are the residents. "When elephants fight over the spoils of the city, it is the ordinary Nairobians—stuck in traffic, lacking water, and heavily taxed—who suffer the crushing weight of their ambition."