Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has launched a fierce attack on Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and President William Ruto over a new cooperation agreement between Nairobi County and the national government.

The deal, signed on February 17, 2026 at State House, has sparked a political storm. Babu claims it amounts to a hostile takeover of key county functions and weakens devolution.

Speaking to the press on February 18, Owino said the process was unlawful and ignored the public.

“Yesterday we did see the signing and the transfer, which we describe as hostile, of certain key functions of the County Government to the National Government. This process was illegally done in the first place and we are being informed that public participation is supposed to be done after the signing of this agreement. This is completely unconstitutional and unlawful,” he said.

Owino accused Sakaja of handing over responsibilities that Nairobi residents entrusted to him. He said voters expected better roads, working drainage, clean streets, reliable water, jobs and functional health facilities.

“Nairobians trusted the wrong person, gave power, gave responsibility to a person who was not qualified for the job, that is Governor Sakaja. He’s become a disappointment,” Owino said.

“The governor is a born incompetent governor, a Governor who cannot deliver services to the citizens of Nairobi.”

He pointed to problems in the health sector. Owino described Mama Lucy Hospital as a death trap, claiming it lacks drugs and that mothers face poor treatment. He also mentioned Mbagathi Hospital, where he said a body remained detained for more than two months despite the family’s efforts to clear bills.

He recalled a past court ruling by Justice Majanja that a dead body has no economic value. Babu argued that such cases show failure in leadership, even as the governor insists that Nairobi is working.

The MP dismissed the new arrangement as a partnership between two weak administrations.

“An incompetent body taking over another incompetent body in the name of delivering, what a shame. This is a race of two pygmies competing on who is taller than the other,” he said.

Corruption fears, deal defended

Owino also raised concerns about corruption. He questioned how Nairobi’s own-source revenue is managed and claimed the governor only has “view only” access to collection servers. He promised to release a dossier to support his claims.

“Transfer of a function like roads, transfer of functions like water, street lighting and garbage collection, this is just going to be new corruption,” he warned.

However, both President Ruto and Governor Sakaja have defended the agreement.

During the signing ceremony, Ruto rejected claims that the national government had taken over county functions.

“Let me repeat, there is no transfer of functions happening. For the avoidance of doubt, I have no interest in running the city of Nairobi. My hands are full. The governor and his team must run the city of Nairobi,” he said.

The President described the agreement as structured national support for the capital, arguing that Nairobi’s status affects the whole country.

Sakaja said the deal rests on Section 6 of the Urban Areas and Cities Act. He noted that Nairobi hosts diplomatic missions, serves as a regional business hub and is home to the UN headquarters in the global south. He argued that the county’s equitable share and own-source revenue cannot meet the needs of a city with nearly seven million people.

Under the agreement, the two levels of government will work through a two-tier structure. A steering committee chaired by the Prime Cabinet Secretary, with Sakaja as deputy, will handle policy direction. An implementation committee chaired by the governor will oversee daily operations.

The agreement covers water and sewerage, roads, bridges and drainage, housing, street lighting, solid waste management and the regeneration of the Nairobi River. Reports indicate that the national government will commit around Ksh80 billion.

The funds will support completion of stalled street lighting projects, installation of new lights, road works and electricity connections in informal settlements. Sakaja insisted the arrangement differs from the former Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS). He said NMS left Ksh16 billion in pending bills and weakened devolution.

“This is not a transfer but a collaboration which is encouraged,” he said.

Critics remain unconvinced. Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna earlier warned against any unconstitutional clawback of devolution and called for full public involvement. Owino echoed those concerns and urged Nairobi residents to make different choices in future elections.

“This time round, Nairobi will not rezon with dimples. Rezoning will be with brains. It will be brains versus dimples,” he said, referring to Sakaja’s campaign nickname.