Nairobi, February 18- Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has called for the suspension of the Ksh80 billion cooperation agreement between the national government and Nairobi County, citing legal and constitutional concerns.
In a statement on Wednesday, Sifuna said the deal was reached without proper public participation or consultation with his office. He also criticized the proposed 14-day public participation window as too short and argued that the process appears predetermined, limiting Nairobi residents’ ability to reject the agreement.
He further raised concerns about the composition of the steering committee overseeing the deal, noting that it is largely controlled by the national government. The committee is chaired by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, with Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja serving as vice chair.
Sifuna described the agreement as a disguised takeover of county functions and insisted that funds should instead be channelled through existing constitutional structures. He proposed that the national government settle over Ksh100 billion owed to Nairobi and allow the county to use the funds for development and pending bills.
He also called for the transfer of more functions to counties and suggested dissolving road agencies such as KURA and KeRRA, with their roles handed over to county governments.
The senator warned that he will pursue legal action and escalate the matter in the Senate if his concerns are not addressed.
The Ksh80 billion plan is aimed at funding key projects in Nairobi, including improvements in street lighting, electricity connectivity, water supply, sewer systems, and waste management.
