Nairobi News

Somali government officials including city Mayors are in Nairobi for a three-day benchmarking and capacity building excersise.

They were hosted by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja at an event held at Uhuru Park on March 17, 2023.

During the meeting, the governor and his deputy Dr James Muchiri used the opportunity to market the Kenyan capital and asked them to consider returning to pick up tips on how to make their home a success.

The event was also attended by Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan, who expressed optimism that Kenya and Somalia would soon reopn their borders, which he said will boost trade between the two countries.

In his address, the governor told the mayors that the county has put in place enough mechanisms to bring dignity and order to the city, which will not be covered even in a month’s time.

He asked them to consider coming for more days, if possible for six months, to study the city well and see how devolution is working.

“We are available for you to send your officers, bring them here for six months. Put them in different departments. Let some come to town planning, let some come to our waste management team, let some come to our environment, let some come to our transport department,” Sakaja said.

The governor said if the officials stay in the country for six months, they will be able to access some of the documents that could be useful to them.

“When you go back, you will be able to build strong institutions because that is what will give your people what you want in your country.”

He invited them to visit some of the programmes being implemented by the district, including the housing programme in the Pangani district.

The governor also told them that his administration had been able to digitise payment services through a dedicated team, which has led to an increase in revenue collection.

Also, the governor told them that his administration has been able to digitize payment services through a dedicated team, which has led o increase in revenue collection.

Governor Sakaja informed them that Kenya made tremendous developments across the 47 countries after getting the 2010 Constitution, which came with devolved system.

Some of Sakaja’s County Executive Committee Members (CEC) including the Finance CEC Mr Charles Kerich used the opportunity to inform Mayors on how the county formulate its financial report.

Mayors who attended the function includes Omar Abdullahi of Kismayo, Abdullahi Watiin of Baidoa, Nadar Tabah of Beledweyne, Abdirahman Mohammed of Dhusamareeb and the Deputy Mayor of Mogadishu.

They were taken around the Uhuru Garden, which is still under renovation.

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