A section of Nairobi MCAs have endorsed a cooperation agreement between the national government and Nairobi City County insisting that the deal will unlock an additional Sh80 billion for development and help accelerate long-stalled reforms in the capital.
The agreement was signed by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi on behalf of the National Government and Governor Johnson Sakaja on behalf of the County Government at State House on Tuesday.
Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja (centre left) and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi (centre right) during the signing of a cooperation agreement between the National Government and the Nairobi City County Government at State House, Nairobi.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
The 30 MCAs out of the total 124, led by Minority Leader Anthony Kiragu, on Thursday asked residents of Nairobi to support what they described as a people-centred framework aimed at improving service delivery and infrastructure.
In a statement issued on Thursday after reviewing the agreement, the Assembly leadership said the partnership would address critical funding gaps that have constrained Nairobi for years.
“We welcome and fully embrace this partnership. This cooperation is people-centred and focuses on the essential services that residents of Nairobi have long awaited. It is an arrangement designed to accelerate development projects and significantly improve service delivery across the city,” Mr Kiragu said.
Under the agreement, the national government is expected to inject an additional Sh80 billion into Nairobi, funding projects in infrastructure, urban renewal and public services.
Mr Kiragu questioned critics of the deal, arguing that political disputes risk derailing an opportunity to reposition Nairobi as a globally competitive city.
They contrasted Nairobi’s estimated Sh40 billion annual budget serving a population of more than seven million with the significantly larger municipal budgets of global capitals such as Paris and New York, which also benefit from structured national government support.
President William Ruto delivers his speech during the signing of a cooperation agreement between the national government and the Nairobi City County Government at State House, Nairobi on February 17, 2026.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
“These examples demonstrate that collaboration between city administrations and national governments is not unusual, but rather a proven and practical model for urban growth and modernisation,” he added.
The legislators sought to allay concerns over accountability, noting that the agreement provides for an implementation committee chaired by the governor and working jointly with national government officials.
The Assembly leadership said MCAs would play an oversight role once the agreement is formally tabled in the House next week for scrutiny and approval.
Separately, a section of MPs also affirmed their support for the cooperation agreement between the national government and Nairobi City County Government.
The legislators MPs TJ Kajwang (Ruaraka), Anthony Oluoch (Mathare), Phelix Odiwuor (Langata), the Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris and Nominated Senators Tabitha Mutinda, Karen Nyamu and Hamida Kibwana .
The legislators said the deal focuses of priority areas affecting Nairobi residents across all the 17 sub counties such as water and sanitation services, street lighting, roads and urban mobility, solid waste management, environmental rehabilitation, markets and housing-related infrastructure.
“The focus is service delivery, not politics. These are everyday realities affecting families, traders, commuters and businesses across Nairobi,” they stated.
