Sakaja appoints Raila Taurayi to Nairobi Water Board
By Faith Lagat, July 26, 2026Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has appointed Raila Taurayi Ernest as a board member of the Nairobi City County Water and Sewerage Company for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2026.
The appointment was made through Gazette Notice No. 11256 issued under the Water Act, the Companies Act and the Water Services Regulations, 2025.
Governor Sakaja exercised powers conferred by Section 79 of the Water Act, Sections 128(2), 129(1) and 132 of the Companies Act, and Regulation 11(1) of the Water Services Regulations to make the appointment.
Three-year term begins
The gazette notice published on Saturday, July 25, 2026, states that the appointment took effect on July 1, 2026, and will run for three years.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 79 of the Water Act, section 128 (2),129 (1) and 132 of the Companies Act and Regulation 11 (1) of the Water Services Regulations, the Governor, Nairobi City County, appoints Raila Taurayi Ernest as a Board Member of the Nairobi City County Water and Sewerage Company, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 1st July, 2026.
The Nairobi City County Water and Sewerage Company is responsible for the provision of water and sewerage services to residents of the capital and plays a central role in the county government’s efforts to improve access to clean water, expand sanitation infrastructure and enhance service delivery.
The latest appointment comes as the utility continues implementing programmes aimed at strengthening water supply and improving sewerage services across Nairobi.
Family link to Nairobi Water
The appointment renews the Odinga family’s association with the county-owned water utility.
Raila Taurayi Ernest is the son of the late Beryl Achieng Odinga, who served as chairperson of the Nairobi City County Water and Sewerage Company after her appointment by former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko in 2020.
During her tenure, Beryl, who died on November 25, 2025, after a prolonged illness, oversaw the agency responsible for water supply and sewerage services in Nairobi as it sought to address challenges including water shortages, ageing infrastructure and service delivery.
Her death came weeks after the passing of her brother, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, on October 15, 2025, in India.
In a family statement issued at the time by Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga, Beryl was described as the daughter of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Mary Ajuma Odinga and the mother of Ami Auma, Chizi and Taurayi Ernest Raila.