By Kenn Okaka
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration has continued to work on projects to improve the Kenyan capital city as his foot soldiers the County Executive Committee members and Chief Officers across departments crisscross the county initiating development projects.
Sakaja, who campaigned on a slogan, “Let’s Make Nairobi Work” adopted the clarion call and rolled up his sleeves, immediately he took over reigns at City Hall and has continued to work on delivering to the city residents, a move that is slowly bearing fruits.
True to his clarion call of making Nairobi work, Sakaja, and his brigades have now transformed the clarion call to “Lazima I work” Slang which translates to “It has to work” suggesting that his county administration is determined to do all there is within their means to ensure that Nairobi becomes a city, desired by everyone. For Sakaja, regardless of difficulties, Nairobi has to work as was promised in the ‘Let’s MakeNairobi work’ slogan.
County departments have continued to make different approaches to tackling problems in the county and every time, the resolution is in the Lazima I Work working motto.
The garbage collection menace is now being tackled. The Sakaja-led administration has taken the bull by its horns to tackle the never-ending garbage menace which has characterized city streets for years in a move that is bearing fruits.
The county has, in the short term taken to working with garbage collectors in ensuring the trash is collected in time as well as educating city dwellers on the importance of having a clean city and therefore, responsible disposal of garbage.
Contrary to other regimes, which were expected to use garbage collection as a money-minting venture where garbage collectors were in some instances accused of dumping trash in city streets, the collection of garbage is today done almost flawlessly.
Nairobi roads have also not been left behind as most continue to be recarpeted from the central business district to the estates while county health facilities continue to be developed.
There have been changes since Sakaja was voted Governor. The first Governor Dr. Evans Kidero and his successor Mike Sonko tried to transform the capital but failed and Sakaja seems to have found the missing link.
Despite Sakaja ascending to the helm of the county as the county executive and boss, the opposition Azimio la Umoja One Kenya controls the County Assembly with the majority and leadership all being from the opposition.
In his bid to deliver for the city, Sakaja chose not to reinvent the wheel and took to ensure that Nairobi has to work. How did this come about? The governor chose to work with the opposition to see to it that ‘Lazima I Work’ and set apart politics from service delivery.
To ensure that he has galvanized control of the county, which both Kidero and Sonko failed, Sakaja has continued working with the Azimio wing appointing senior officials in his administration from both the governing Kenya Kwanza side and the Azimio side, a move that has seen him have the much needed peaceful working conditions; all this time, Sakaja’s brigades have not slept as they continue with delivering promises to the city.
With a population of over 4 million people, Nairobi is arguably one of the most difficult counties to run and for you to work, the people must first believe in what you do as a leader. Sakaja, therefore, has told his members of staff that no matter what happens in the county, despite political intrigues and difficulties with revenues among others, Lazima I Work.
Consequently, Sakaja looks at ensuring the transformation of the city with the improvement of service delivery and infrastructure development across the city. Sakaja has steered clear of politics only insisting that he is focused on the delivery of quality services as he focuses on how Nairobi will work again.
Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria last week threw his weight behind Sakaja’s approach in his ‘Lazima I Work’ progress noting that he fully supports the Governors’ bi-partisan approach to service delivery at the capital. Kuria noted that to run the country’s capital, one has to put politics aside and embrace people from different political divides to deliver to the electorate.
Out of the ‘Lazima Ita Work’ slogan, the county government has overseen stalled development projects revived among them the construction of the Dandora stadium which had stalled in 2019. Construction works at the stadium resumed after the intervention of Sakaja and work at the stadium is now 80 percent completed.
Roads are getting tarmacked in various parts of the city as hospitals are being equipped with modern technology equipment.
Another key area that the governor looked into is the talent development sector among the youth majority. As opposed to previous years, actors in the creative industry now breathe a sigh of relief as the county government waived the requirement for people doing photography and video shooting within the CBD to acquire county government licenses. This move will help the youth in the industry as the creative industry gets more vibrant online creating millions of opportunities.
The Nairobi festival and the battle of the choirs are just other initiatives aimed at developing talent in the capital city.
Issues around county government approvals and licensing have been streamlined and another milestone that will be achieved is the success of decongesting the CBD with the planned move of all public service vehicles plying upcountry routes to the Green Park terminus to ease the congestion of traffic within CBD.
