Nairobi Governor Sakaja outlines how additional Ksh.80B funding will be spent

Speaking after convening a meeting of Principal Secretaries and representatives from various national ministries, departments and agencies under the newly established Joint Steering Committee (JSC), Sakaja said the partnership is designed to coordinate and fast-track projects under the Nairobi Rising agenda.

The meeting follows the first implementation committee session chaired by the governor a day earlier, which set the stage for the operationalisation of the multi-billion-shilling development programme aimed at transforming the city.

At the centre of the cooperation agreement is the KSh 80 billion investment package targeting critical infrastructure gaps that have long constrained Nairobi’s growth.

According to Sakaja, the largest share of the funding. about KSh 33 billion, will go towards sewerage and sanitation infrastructure, a sector considered key to cleaning up the Nairobi River and expanding access to sanitation services.

“The investment will fund the construction of two parallel 27-kilometre trunk sewer lines along the Nairobi River corridor, a new sewer treatment plant capable of processing 60,000 cubic litres of wastewater daily, and expanded last-mile sewer connections to households,” Sakaja said.

An additional KSh 15 billion has also been earmarked for long-term sewer expansion across the city.

“This will also help address drainage challenges and bring visible change,” he added.

The plan also allocates KSh 8.7 billion to roads, bridges and drainage systems to improve mobility and reduce flooding in parts of the city that are frequently affected during heavy rains. Of this amount, KSh 2 billion will go toward fast-tracking the completion of roads currently under the Kenya Urban Roads Authority.

Energy and street lighting infrastructure will receive KSh 8.5 billion. This includes KSh 3.7 billion for the installation of 50,000 new street lights across Nairobi, a move expected to enhance security and extend economic activity into the night.

The programme also sets aside KSh 1.5 billion for transformers and last-mile electricity connections to lower the cost of power for low-income households. A further KSh 3.3 billion will support prepaid metering, transformers and lighting infrastructure in informal settlements.

In the water sector, KSh 5.1 billion will be invested to address persistent supply shortages. The funding will support upgrades at the Ng’ethu Water Treatment Plant and the development of the Gigiri–Shauri Moyo water evacuation corridor to improve water distribution across the city.

Solid waste management will also benefit from a KSh 6 billion package, combining KSh 2 billion from the national government and KSh 4 billion from the county government to strengthen waste collection and disposal systems.

The agreement further introduces institutional reforms aimed at enhancing security in the capital, including the establishment of a Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit, which Sakaja said is expected to become operational within 60 days.

The governor said the cooperation framework will help accelerate the implementation of the Nairobi Rising agenda and position Nairobi for improved service delivery, modern infrastructure and stronger economic growth.