Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja firmly defended his cooperation agreement with the national government during his appearance before a Senate committee on Thursday, February 26, 2026.

He insisted he followed the constitution fully and would sign the deal again if needed. Sakaja told the committee he remained convinced the pact aligned with the law.

“I feel that we followed the constitution, 100 per cent. I am convinced,” he said.

He pointed to specific articles:

“The extent to which maybe you will say the participation is not 100 per cent or whatnot is debatable; it is subjective. But following the constitution, 189 for setting up the communities of collaboration, and Article 6 for setting up an agreement, I am 100 per cent sure that we’ve done it.”

He stressed his commitment to the approach.

“And let me tell you, Chair, just to affirm, because I haven’t finished, tomorrow I will do it again. Because I believe it is the only way after I have looked at what this city requires,” Sakaja declared.

He explained that many problems in counties stem from unclear roles and limited resources.

“Many times I see that frustration because of lack of resources. They play the blame game because of a lack of clarity on what the county function is and what the national function is,” he added.

The governor highlighted practical benefits.

“What has taken me so long even to pay salaries on time? Today is the 26th, and I’m paying salaries.”

He mentioned studying other cities like Lagos for ideas on waste management and resourcing.

“I have looked at other cities; I have had five years. I have looked at what Lagos is doing, whether it is in waste management or whether it is in resourcing it,” he said.

As the steward of Nairobi, he viewed the agreement as essential.

“I promise you, as a steward of this city, because it’s a mandate from the people, this is a route I have seen that I would stand for anywhere, and I would defend anywhere.”

Sakaja addressed ongoing legal challenges.

“Currently, there is a court process; you know, I think the hearing is sometime in March. I am willing to go on the dock myself. To defend why I have seen this as an opportunity for my city, because questions will be asked, and I have to account for that,” he stated.

Shared costs, not takeover

The session followed the February 17, 2026, signing of the deal at State House, which unlocks around Ksh80 billion for projects in areas like waste management, roads, water, and riverside regeneration. Critics, including some MCAs and opposition figures, have called it a threat to devolution or a repeat of the failed Nairobi Metropolitan Services model from 2020.

Sakaja has repeatedly rejected that comparison, arguing the current pact involves no transfer of functions under Article 197, creates no new institutions, and allows no national takeover of county taxes. He maintained that the agreement enables shared costs without surrendering authority.

For example, on garbage collection, he noted the current system costs billions with no revenue return. The deal shares expenses, with the county covering most and the national government adding support.

“For the 6 billion mimi nitalipa 4 billion, 2 billion naongezewa na serikali kuu. Nikatae?” he asked in earlier remarks.

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen has backed the pact, saying it follows the Intergovernmental Relations Act and Article 189 of the Constitution for cooperation between levels of government. Sakaja’s defence at the Senate committee showed his determination to push ahead.

He sees the agreement as a practical fix for Nairobi’s resource shortages and service delivery gaps, and he stands ready to justify it in court or anywhere else.