Kileleshwa Ward MCA Robert Alai has publicly disagreed with President William Ruto’s plan to collaborate with Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja in improving the city’s cleanliness.
Ruto, speaking on Sunday at African Inland Church Ziwani, outlined a strategy to involve the national government and the private sector in addressing Nairobi’s sanitation and infrastructure challenges.
Ruto emphasized that Nairobi should no longer suffer from poor hygiene and unsafe roads.
He stated that efforts to clean the Nairobi River are already underway and that the government is finalizing partnerships with private entities to manage citywide cleanup.
He added that roads would be maintained to prevent mud buildup and that streetlights would be installed to ensure the city remains bright and accessible at night, with funding coming from the national government.
Alai, however, challenged the president’s approach, arguing that financial resources are not Nairobi’s main problem.
In a post on X, he said the city generates sufficient revenue to cover its expenses and even support other counties.
“The problem with Nairobi isn't a lack of money. It has never been a lack of money. Nairobi generates enough revenue to fund not only its operations but also to loan to other counties within the metropolis,” Alai said.
The MCA further blamed political competition and weak leadership for the city’s challenges.
He stressed that Nairobi should not be treated as an ethnic or political prize but as a cosmopolitan city that requires visionary leadership.
“Nairobi needs someone who can visualise the city in the next 100 years, understand its cosmopolitan composition, and recognise that it can't be treated as an ethnic enclave or trophy that the Luos, Luhyas, Kikuyu, Maasai, or any ethnic community must conquer,” Alai noted.