NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 9 — The government is rolling out major development programmes in the capital Nairobi to set pace for national transformation, President William Ruto has said.
The President said the Nairobi County development plan will address key challenges, including waste and garbage management, slums, water shortage, poor roads and poor electricity connectivity.
He pointed out that Kenya cannot lay claim to transformation if the capital city lacks such basic services.
“If we are going to move Kenya to first-world status, Nairobi must lead the way. That is why we are determined to change this city. We will transform Nairobi City,” he said.
President Ruto spoke during a Sunday service at Africa Inland Church (AIC) Pipeline in Embakasi, Nairobi County, led by AIC Presiding Bishop Abraham Mulwa.
He also officially opened the church in Pipeline, whose construction began on 30 August, 2020, when President Ruto laid the foundation stone.
The President said he has tasked Nairobi County Assembly members (MCAs) to identify a priority road in every ward that the National Government will build, with the aim of making Nairobi motorable and ease movement within the city.
“We want to ensure that Nairobi gives a good impression of Kenya,” he said.
140mn litres
On tackling the water shortage in Nairobi, President Ruto said the Northern Water Collector Tunnel in Murang’a has been completed and is supplying the city with an additional 140 million litres of water.
To further increase water supply in the city, the government will later this year begin building the proposed Maragua 4 Dam in Murang’a. The dam is one of the 50 mega dams earmarked for construction nationally to provide water for irrigation and domestic use.
“Maragua 4 is among the priority dams we are going to work on this year,” he said.
He pointed out that it was unfair that water was more expensive in the Eastlands part of Nairobi than Karen.
Additionally, the President said the National and the Nairobi County governments will light up the city, noting that this move would help reduce crime.
He also explained that the National Government, in partnership with the county government, will from April 1, 2026, roll out comprehensive garbage collection and management services in the city.
At the dumpsite in Dandora, the President said, a treatment plant is being built to manage waste, make fertiliser and generate energy from next year.
On affordable housing, President Ruto announced that the government is investing Sh220 billion in Nairobi County for the construction of 169,000 housing units, 16 modern markets and hostels to accommodate 14,000 students.
He said the government is committed to eradicating slums in the city within the next 15 years.
“We cannot say Nairobi is a city while some residents live in slums,” he said.
Universal healthcare
In the provision of universal healthcare, he pointed out that more than 2.5 million residents of Nairobi are registered with the Social Health Authority.
“This means that 57 per cent of Nairobi residents are on a health insurance programme, five times the number that was registered under the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Government is building an additional 700 classrooms in the city’s public schools, providing opportunities for at least 21,000 learners.
Nationally, the government has built 23,000.
The President commended the Church for complementing government efforts to enhance access to education.
Saying transformation is not a walk in the park and calls for sacrifice, commitment and courage, the President urged elected leaders to remain focused on what matters to the citizens.
“I am working with many leaders so that we can transform the county,” he said.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja commended the National Government’s development plan, citing the Climate Worx initiative that has created tens of thousands of jobs for young people in the city and for improving water supply.
He said he is looking forward to the development of the Maragua 4 Dam to further enhance water supply.
Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui urged Kenyans and leaders to support the President in implementing the country’s transformation agenda.
He cautioned against engaging in politics all the time, saying it is now time to work.
Later, the President addressed residents of Pipeline in the company of Governor Sakaja, MPs and MCAs.
