Gloria Orwoba tips UN relocation plan to generate more jobs for Kenyans
By Faith Lagat, May 12, 2026Former nominated senator Gloria Orwoba has welcomed the United Nations’ decision to expand and relocate key functions to Nairobi but called for stronger guarantees that Kenyans benefit directly through employment and business opportunities.
In a post on X dated May 12, 2026, Orwoba stated: “The @UN relocating offices from New York to Nairobi is an Excellent move for Kenya if: The jobs are localised: hiring qualified Kenyans from Kenya at all levels; General Service positions to Director level positions, means that we have 2000 jobs available for Kenyans.”
She also called for construction tenders linked to the Ksh54.4 billion project to be awarded to Kenyan-owned and Kenyan-run companies to maximise local economic impact.
Orwoba noted that her position was informed by personal experience, stating that her career began as a UN intern at the Nairobi office.
UN Nairobi expansion inaugurated as largest Africa investment
Her remarks came a day after President William Ruto and UN Secretary-General António Guterres presided over the inauguration of the expanded United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) in Gigiri on May 11, 2026. The project is the largest investment by the UN Secretariat in Africa in its 80-year history.
The Ksh54.4 billion development, approved by the UN General Assembly, includes Ksh42.5 billion for conference facilities and Ksh11.9 billion for office upgrades.
The expansion increases capacity from 2,000 to 9,000 participants and includes a new 1,600-seat assembly hall and 16 additional meeting rooms. It also introduces net-zero buildings powered by solar energy and incorporates the planting of nearly 6,000 indigenous trees.
Guterres described the expansion as “a vote of confidence in Africa’s place at the heart of international cooperation,” adding that Nairobi is “a pillar the only United Nations headquarters in Africa – and in the Global South.”
Calls for reforms, jobs, and long-term UN presence in Nairobi
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also renewed calls for reform of global governance structures, including permanent African representation on the UN Security Council and increased influence for Africa in international financial systems.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the expansion reinforces Nairobi’s position as a global hub for diplomacy and climate action. UN Under-Secretary-General Zainab Hawa Bangura described the project as a defining moment, aligning the UN with global centres of innovation and solutions.
The Kenyan government has also proposed amendments to the Privileges and Immunities Act to encourage UN staff and families to settle in Nairobi long term. President Ruto said the initiative aims to position Nairobi as a permanent base for international personnel, noting that Kenya already hosts more than 6,000 UN staff.
Orwoba’s intervention reflects broader expectations that the UN expansion will translate into direct economic gains for Kenyan workers and firms through job creation, procurement participation, and increased local economic activity.