The proposed partnership between the Nairobi County Government and the national government to improve services in the capital is not the first, and likely not the last. Over the years, every attempt to clean up Nairobi—whether led by the central or county authorities—has faltered because the root causes, especially in solid waste management, remain unaddressed.
President William Ruto’s decision to involve the national government in rescuing the city from piles of garbage and overflowing sewers echoes past efforts. During President Moi’s era, the Nairobi City Council was dissolved and replaced by the Nairobi City Commission under Ngala Mwendwa and later Fred Gumo, both of whom achieved little progress. When multiparty democracy returned, Mayor Steve “Magic” Mwangi launched the “Nairobi We Want” conference, which promised reform but quickly faded. Moi later deployed the National Youth Service to clean the city, but corruption and mismanagement turned waste collection contracts into scandals.
