City businessman Johnson Oduk has welcomed the proposed Sh80 billion cooperation agreement between the National Government and the Nairobi City County Government, terming it a timely intervention for a capital city grappling with mounting infrastructure and service delivery pressures.
Speaking in response to the first public participation forum chaired by Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Ken Ngondi, Oduk said Nairobi requires special financial attention given its unique position as Kenya’s economic nerve centre.
“Nairobi is not just another county. It is the face of the nation, the hub of commerce, diplomacy and innovation. It needs special attention in terms of funding and structured partnerships,” Oduk said.The Sh80 billion framework seeks to inject national government resources into critical sectors including roads, drainage, waste management and water services.
According to Oduk, the magnitude of the funding signals recognition that the capital’s challenges require coordinated intergovernmental solutions.
However, while supporting the deal in principle, the businessman emphasized that constitutional safeguards must not be compromised. He insisted that oversight and accountability mechanisms must firmly remain with the Nairobi City County Assembly to protect devolution.
“We support development and structured cooperation, but oversight roles must remain with the County Assembly. That is non-negotiable. Devolution must be strengthened, not diluted,” he stated.Oduk noted that past governance experiments in the capital generated public debate over the balance of power between the two levels of government.
He expressed confidence that the current arrangement, which does not transfer core county functions, provides a better template — provided transparency is maintained.
Governor Johnson Sakaja has maintained that the agreement is designed to complement devolution rather than override it, emphasizing joint coordination instead of function transfer.
A high-level steering committee chaired by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and co-chaired by Governor Sakaja has been constituted to guide implementation.
Oduk said Nairobi’s infrastructure backlog — from clogged drainage systems and poor roads to inconsistent garbage collection — justifies enhanced national support.
He argued that as the capital continues to attract population growth and private investment, funding must match its expanding demands.
“If we want Nairobi to compete with other major African capitals, we must invest boldly. But we must also protect institutions and ensure every shilling is accounted for,” he added.The Nairobi City County Assembly is expected to hold further public participation forums across the 17 sub-counties before convening a special sitting to deliberate on the agreement.
For Oduk and other stakeholders in the business community, the deal represents both opportunity and responsibility — an opportunity to modernize the city, and a responsibility to ensure governance structures remain intact and accountable.
As debate continues, his message remains clear: Nairobi deserves special funding consideration, but the constitutional oversight role of the County Assembly must remain firmly in place.