Didmus Barasa explains why he believes Nairobi should not hold county status
By Mabonga Makhanu, August 4, 2025Kimilili MP and Bungoma gubernatorial aspirant Didmus Barasa has reignited debate over Nairobi’s status as a devolved unit, arguing that the capital city should not operate as a county under the current constitutional framework.
Speaking during an interview on the Aineah Nabwera Show on Monday, August 4, 2025, Barasa insisted that Nairobi should be placed under the direct control of the national government rather than being managed as a devolved unit like the other 46 counties.
He referred to the Bomas draft of the Constitution, pointing out that the original vision for Nairobi was that of a city governed through an administrative structure—such as a mayor—under the national government, not as an autonomous county.
“We must change the law; Nairobi City County should not be a county but should be just like a territorial part of the national government. If you look at the Bomas draft, the original constitution, Nairobi was not supposed to be a county; Nairobi was supposed to be a city managed by a mayor or somebody,” Barasa stated.
Discrepancy in resource allocation
Barasa’s remarks come in the wake of his broader commentary on the inequalities in resource distribution between urban and rural constituencies. Using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) as an example, he highlighted the disparity in needs and infrastructure demands between constituencies in Nairobi and those in rural areas.
He noted that while both rural and urban constituencies receive the same CDF allocations, the needs vary significantly. In rural areas, MPs are responsible for developing a much larger number of schools and educational infrastructure.
He cited Mumias East as an example of a rural constituency with over 100 schools that need support through the CDF, compared to a constituency like Westlands in Nairobi, which has only about nine schools but receives the same amount of CDF funds.
According to Barasa, this imbalance creates an unfair playing field, placing a heavier burden on leaders from rural constituencies who must stretch limited resources to meet greater developmental needs.
He believes that removing Nairobi’s county status would streamline governance, eliminate duplication of roles, and allow the city to be managed more effectively as part of the national government.