We need 16 new constituencies in Nairobi, Sakaja tells dialogue committee
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has raised the issue of increasing the number of constituencies in the country as the National Dialogue Committee begins its 60-day negotiations, saying that there is a need to have 16 new constituencies in Nairobi County.
Governor Sakaja said the committee should look into discrepancies caused by boundary issues that have denied Nairobi residents equal representation at ward and constituency levels.
Speaking to residents of Embakasi North, Kayole Central Ward when he inaugurated Imara ECD Primary Block, the Governor said bursary distribution has challenged the residents in densely populated constituencies compared to other areas with fewer people.
“It can’t be that in Nairobi, a single constituency with 200,000 people gets the same amount of CDF funds as another constituency with 20,000 people. We give our children scholarships of Sh5,000 while others elsewhere get Sh100,000,” said Sakaja.
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The governor also said there must be a clear message from the committee on the issue of boundaries.
He said he is familiar with Article 89 of the Constitution of Kenya, which deals with delimitation of constituencies, having worked closely with former President Mwai Kibaki to draft the section that was included in the constitution.
“If they can’t do that, they should invite me to help them amend it because I’m the one who put it in the constitution. I’m asking Kimani Ichung’wah, who is representing us in that committee and Aaron Cheruiyot, to stick on that in order for the people of Nairobi to have their right,” he said.
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Nairobi County, which according to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census has a population of 4,397,073, has a total of 17 constituencies with 85 wards.
Calls for boundary review were sparked by Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition leader Raila Odinga ahead of the dialogue and have since gained momentum.
Recently, former Machakos Senator Johnston Muthama, who is a Member of the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) stated that some counties should also be split, including Kitui County which he claimed is larger than Makueni and Machakos combined.
The committee will also discuss restructuring and reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), boundaries delimitation, and audit of the 2022 presidential election.
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