NAIROBI – A fresh and contentious debate over the governance structure of Nairobi is gaining momentum, fueled by renewed calls from politicians and citizens for the national government to assume control of the capital city. The proposals, citing persistent service delivery challenges, have reignited fundamental questions about the effectiveness of Nairobi's devolved government, even as the current administration reports record-breaking revenue collection.

The latest wave of public discourse was sparked by a commentary in the Daily Nation on Thursday, November 6, 2025, where a reader, Peter Leon Muriu, argued that Nairobi should be managed by the state, claiming county governments have failed to deliver services since 2013. [5] This sentiment has been echoed in more formal political circles. On the same day, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei advocated for the revival of an entity similar to the former Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), asserting that the county leadership has failed to manage the city's complex needs, leading to deteriorating infrastructure. [24] He suggested a constitutional amendment might be necessary to reclassify Nairobi as a metropolis under national authority. [24]

This view is shared by Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa, who argued on August 4, 2025, that the original Bomas draft of the Constitution did not envision Nairobi as a county. [8] He pointed to disparities in resource allocation, such as the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), between urban and rural areas as a justification for restructuring the city's governance. [8] President William Ruto has also recently weighed in, lamenting the city's condition as a "city in filth" and announcing a partnership between the national government, the county, and the private sector to address the challenges, signaling high-level concern. [17, 20]

A Precedent in Governance: The NMS Experience

This is not uncharted territory for Kenya's capital. On March 9, 2020, the Nairobi Metropolitan Services was established following a Deed of Transfer agreement between the then-governor, Mike Sonko, and the national government. [22, 30] The move, legally grounded in Article 187 of the Constitution which allows for the transfer of functions between government levels, saw the national government take over four core county functions: health, transport, public works, and planning. [22, 32] Headed by Major General Mohammed Badi, the NMS operated for two and a half years before handing the functions back to the newly elected administration of Governor Johnson Sakaja in September 2022. [24, 29] The NMS era was marked by visible infrastructure projects but also by political friction over the legitimacy and scope of its mandate. [25]

County Performance vs. Public Perception

While critics point to issues like potholes and garbage collection as evidence of failure, the Nairobi City County government presents a contrasting picture of its financial stewardship. According to official reports from July 2025, the county recorded its highest-ever own-source revenue of KSh 13.7 billion for the 2024/2025 financial year, a KSh 1 billion increase from the previous year. [7, 13, 15] Governor Sakaja's administration attributes this performance to enhanced digital payment systems and stricter enforcement on defaulters of land rates and business permits. [7] This financial achievement complicates the narrative of a wholly failing county, suggesting that while operational service delivery may face challenges, revenue collection mechanisms have seen significant improvement.

The political implications of a potential takeover are also a point of contention. Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria, who has expressed interest in the 2027 gubernatorial race, warned on October 14, 2025, that a national government takeover would be "unfortunate," linking some of the city's current problems to previous national government interference, including the NMS. [17]

The High Constitutional Bar for Suspension

Beyond a negotiated transfer of functions, the most drastic measure—suspension of the county government—faces formidable legal and constitutional obstacles designed to protect the principle of devolution. According to Article 192 of the Constitution, the President can only suspend a county government in two specific circumstances: an emergency arising from internal conflict or war, or in other "exceptional circumstances." [3, 11]

For the latter, the process is deliberately rigorous. It requires a petition supported by at least 10% of the county's registered voters, which must be submitted to the President. [6, 10] The President would then have to establish an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the allegations. [4, 11] Only if the President is satisfied that the commission's findings justify the action can the proposal be forwarded to the Senate, which must authorize the suspension. [3, 4] Any such suspension is limited to a maximum of 90 days, after which fresh county elections must be held. [4, 11] This high threshold ensures that the dissolution of a democratically elected county government cannot be undertaken lightly.

As the debate continues, Nairobi finds itself at a crossroads, balancing the frustrations of its residents and the political pressure for improved services against the legal autonomy granted by the Constitution and the county's own reported financial successes. The path forward remains uncertain, with the conversation highlighting the unique and enduring challenge of governing Kenya's economic and political heartland.