Nairobi County government has, for the umpteenth time, embarked on the search for a substantive county secretary (CS) and head of public service, a position that has become a revolving door at City Hall.
The critical position in the running of a county’s affairs has been turned into governors’ playground where holders are shuffled around at will and appointments as well as sackings done on impulse.
Four substantive governors and 13 years later, City Hall has had only three substantive county secretaries, with all lasting less than two years in office.
If the current search becomes successful, the lucky or unlucky nominee will be the 11th holder of the hot seat since the advent of devolution.
In a public notice on Monday by the chairperson of the Selection Panel tasked with recruiting a new CS, interested individuals were given until May 28, 2026, to submit their applications.
According to the notice, a county secretary plays a crucial role in the county, including heading the county public service and being the secretary to the county executive committee.
Additionally, the person is tasked with overseeing the implementation of county government policies, ensuring efficient management of county resources, coordination of county government activities, and providing direction and guidance to public officers in the county.
Then Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko when he appeared before the Senate in Nairobi in December 2020 during the hearing of his impeachment motion.
Photo credit: Evans Habil | Nation Media Group
So powerful is the holder of the position that in 2019, when an anti-corruption court barred then-Governor Mike Sonko from accessing his office over corruption allegations, then-acting CS Simon Leboo ole Morintat literally ran City Hall.
Mr Morintat – the governor's right-hand man and his blue-eyed boy – was entrusted with running all county operations, elevating him to the most powerful man at City Hall.
At the time, City Hall had no deputy governor since the resignation of Polycarp Igathe in January 2018.
But controversies, graft allegations and incompetence have dodged most individuals who have risen to the powerful position.
Between 2013 and 2026, Nairobi County has had 10 county secretaries, with Governor Johnson Sakaja adding two more during his time in office.
Apart from Mr Morintat, who held the position twice, others include Lillian Ndegwa, Gregory Mwakanongo, the late Robert Ayisi, Peter Kariuki, Pauline Kahiga, Justus Kathenge, Jairus Musumba, Patrick Analo and Godfrey Akumali.
Only Ms Ndegwa, Mr Kariuki and the late Ayisi have been substantive holders of the position, with Mr Kariuki lasting less than six months in office.
On the other hand, Mr Musumba holds the record for acting in the position the longest, being at the helm for almost three years between January 2021 and April 2023.
Dr Jairus Musumba who nomination as Nairobi County Secretary has been rejected by city MCAs.
Photo credit: File I Nation Media Group
Speaking to Nation , Mr Musumba said it is a political position with high stakes as the office is the engine of a county government running the day-to-day operations.
He pointed out that both the governor and the county ministers work through the county secretary, hence it is a position that the governor always wants to be in control of.
“The governor does not do the day-to-day work but the county secretary. The county secretary is the engine of the county and so it is a very important position and that is why politics is always at play,” said Mr Musumba.
He recalled his rejection in 2023 by the Nairobi County Assembly for not being qualified despite being a PhD holder, having served as chief officer for Health in Nairobi for four years between 2017 and 2021 and has been in the position, albeit in an acting capacity, since 2020.
“They (MCAs) were totally wrong. I passed everywhere but failed the political test. I know where it came from but that is a story for another day but the main reason was politics,” he said.
According to the requirements for appointment, the holder of the position should hold a degree from a university recognised in Kenya, possess at least 10 years’ relevant professional experience, have at least five years’ experience in a leadership position at senior management level in a public service or private sector organisation, as well as meet the requirements of leadership integrity as prescribed in Chapter Six of the Constitution.
Throwing a spanner in the works, Dr Musumba argued that due to the volatile political nature of the position, some of the holders preferred to remain acting so as to have a fallback position if fired.
He pointed out that it is very rare, across the 47 counties, to have a substantive county secretary last the five-year renewable term, so it is in the interest of the holder to remain acting.
“It is only the governor who can explain why the county secretaries are always acting but I can say that the acting ones prefer such an arrangement because they double as chief officers and so if they are sacked, they go back to their substantive position.”
But another former holder of the position, who did not want his name revealed, said the high stakes in the position has made most governors fear having substantive office holders just in case they refuse to be manipulated by the county boss.
“The fear has been that if you confirm someone, removing them will be a problem should the individual refuse to dance to the tune of the governor. There can be a court case, which the person could also win, and grounding of critical county operations in the process.”
Ms Ndegwa was the first substantive Nairobi CS in 2013 after transitioning from the Transition Authority and being appointed in May 2013.
Nevertheless, she was hounded out of office over corruption allegations following her suspension in April 2015 after being charged with defrauding the county of Sh17.9 million together with colleagues Regina Chepkemoi and Nancy Waithera.
Integrity Centre in Nairobi which houses the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission offices.
Photo credit: Pool I Nation Media Group
Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission officers arrested the three for allegedly committing the crime between November 1, 2013 and December 3, 2014, although they denied the charges.
Following the suspension, Mr Mwakanongo stepped in in an acting capacity before Governor Evans Kidero picked the late Ayisi in January 2016.
However, health problems saw Mr Ayisi step down in August 2017 to be replaced by Mr Morintat in an acting capacity. He served in that position until Dr Kidero was defeated by Mr Sonko in the August 2017 elections.
Nairobi County secretary Robert Ayisi during on June 1, 2017 during Madaraka Day celebrations.
Photo credit: File | Nation
Mr Ayisi’s time in office was not without controversy, as he was accused of being incompetent, having failed to spearhead any meaningful reforms in his previous docket (Health chief officer).
Mr Morintat continued into Mr Sonko’s administration before Mr Kariuki was head-hunted from the national government, where he was a governance advisor in the Office of the President.
But he did not last long in office, serving between May and September 2018, before being suspended as part of four senior county officials forced to step down by Mr Sonko over alleged insubordination after being accused of contradicting the governor on the death of 11 infants at Pumwani Hospital.
“The suspension of Mr Kariuki and eventual firing was political as he was forced on the governor by the national government who were keen on controlling City Hall. A way had to be found to have him go but the move landed Sonko in more trouble with the president,” said the former CS.
But Mr Kariuki’s appointment wasn’t devoid of controversy either. Mr Kariuki’s nomination as the CS was in November 2017, but despite being vetted and the report ready for tabling before the assembly, Mr Sonko stopped the process, recalling his name in February 2018 to allow for “consultation with key stakeholders”. However, the report was reintroduced in April before his eventual approval.
Enter Ms Kahiga, the then Chief Officer for Urban Planning, in an acting capacity on September 19, 2018, but controversy followed her as she was arrested by anti-graft agency detectives for allegedly hiding documents in graft investigations at City Hall.
She was also at loggerheads with MCAs for failing to relinquish the position after being sworn in as Devolution CEC.
Waithaka MCA Anthony Karanja, in July 2019, raised concern over why Ms Kahiga continued to perform duties of a county secretary despite having been promoted to a CECM.
“This Assembly promoted Pauline Kahiga from a Chief Officer to a CECM. However, she continued holding an accounting position, which is the County Secretary for reasons not known to myself or this Assembly. I will pursue this matter further and request that she has to return any benefits or monies that she earned in that position because it was illegal. That is corruption in my opinion.”
A CECM cannot be appointed to act as a County Secretary and Head of Public Service as per section 44 of the County Governments Act, 2012, since a CECM is senior to the County Secretary. The law contemplates that acting appointments are to a higher position and not vice versa.
Mr Kahiga would leave the position in July 2019 to be replaced by Mr Morintat in an acting capacity. Mr Morintat was then deputy county secretary, an illegal position created for him in September 2018 by Mr Sonko in order to reduce the powers of Ms Kahiga.
Then came Mr Kathenge in February 2020 in an acting capacity pending the nomination and vetting of the new county secretary by late 2020.
Nairobi County Public Service Board had in June 2019 advertised for applicants for the county secretary position, with interested individuals given up to June 24, 2019, to submit their application forms.
But instead of a substantive holder for the position being recruited, Mr Musumba was tapped to hold the office in an acting capacity.
Governor Sakaja later replaced Dr Musumba, after a failed bid to confirm him to the position, with Mr Analo, Chief Officer for Urban Development and Planning, in an acting capacity in April 2023.
In August 2024, Mr Akumali took over from Mr Analo in the same capacity, thanking the governor for entrusting him with the responsibility.
