Uhuru gives new team 100 days to dismantle City Hall cartels – VIDEO
President Uhuru Kenyatta has created Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) to take over the running of Nairobi County government transferred functions, as State takeover officially began.
In a continued militarisation of public institutions in the country, the President appointed Major General Mohammed Abdallah Badi to head the newly created office that will run the capital city.
Mr Badi, NMS director-general, will be deputised by Physical Planning Principal Secretary Enosh Onyango Momanyi with the team given firm instructions to “fix” the capital city as Governor Mike Sonko ceded the four key functions to the State.
The formal handover at State House came after the expiry of the 21 days for the Deed of Transfer of functions that saw Nairobi County government handover four critical functions to the National Government last month.
The four functions included county health services; transport; planning and development; and public works and utilities.
Already, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) had on Tuesday officially taken over revenue collection in Nairobi.
Wanton corruption
Without mincing his words, the Head of State gave the new team 100 days to dismantle cartels at City Hall and also rein in on wanton corruption at the county government which he revealed as the biggest problem faced by the capital city.
“The biggest problem that the city faces is corruption and cartels that have a vice-like grip. From the collection of garbage to issuance of permits, the cartels have made service delivery almost impossible,” said the President.
He decried that even the formation of Nairobi Regeneration Committee two years ago to oversee the running of the county government did not bear tangible fruits informing the decision for the State to take over the key functions.
“We recognised these problems and initiated a partnership to develop the regeneration of Nairobi with focus on housing, urban renewal, waste management and disposal, decongestion of the city, amongst others. The committee for two years grappled with issues bedevilling the city but it was an inadequate measure as it was incapable of taking charge. That failure led to consultations resulting to transfer of functions that we are witnessing today,” he added.
He said the NMS will be tasked with the regeneration of Nairobi with areas of focus being re-activating county government garbage collections and implementing a solid waste management plan, constructing pedestrian walkways and improving water sanitation, among others.
The ceremony was witnessed by Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, Attorney General Paul Kihara, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja, Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi, among other leaders.