Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has drawn a line in the sand against the National Government, physically halting the demolition of homes in Mukuru kwa Njenga and declaring the planned evictions "illegal, inhumane, and primitive."

In a dramatic scene that unfolded Tuesday morning, the Governor arrived at the sprawling informal settlement just as bulldozers were revving their engines. The demolition squad, reportedly dispatched by the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) to clear the path for the Catherine Ndereba Road expansion, was forced to retreat as Sakaja stood amidst cheering residents, flanked by county askaris.

The Battle for Dignity

"We are not animals," Sakaja declared, addressing a volatile crowd that had already begun engaging police in running battles. "You cannot wake up one morning and decide to crush the lives of 40,000 people without notice, without a resettlement plan, and without humanity. This stops now."

The Governor’s intervention exposes the widening rift between City Hall and the Ministry of Roads. While the road expansion is critical for opening up the industrial area, the method of execution has sparked memories of the brutal 2021 evictions that left thousands homeless during the Christmas season. Sakaja insisted that development must have a human face.

• The Legal Shield: Sakaja cited a standing court order that protects Mukuru residents from eviction until a comprehensive resettlement action plan (RAP) is fully implemented.
• The Political Gamble: By standing with the slum dwellers against state machinery, Sakaja is cementing his populist base but risking a fallout with the national executive, which is eager to expedite infrastructure projects ahead of the 2027 cycle.
• The Human Cost: Community leaders showed the Governor marks on houses marked "X" just hours before, with no alternative housing provided. "Where do they expect us to go? To the sky?" asked community chairman Nelson Ochieng.

A City in Tension

The Catherine Ndereba Road project has been a flashpoint for years. It is designed to link the Nairobi Expressway to the Industrial Area, cutting travel time by half. However, the route cuts through one of Nairobi’s densest settlements.

"I support the road," Sakaja clarified later at a press briefing at City Hall. "But we must follow the law. The County Government was not consulted. We are the custodians of the people of Nairobi. If you want to demolish, you must talk to us, and we must talk to the people."

For tonight, the residents of Mukuru will sleep in their beds, but the anxiety remains. The bulldozers have retreated, but they have not left. The standoff represents a critical test for devolution: does a Governor have the power to stop the State? Sakaja says yes.