Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has sharply criticised the cooperation agreement signed on 17 February 2026 between President William Ruto and Governor Johnson Sakaja, calling for its annulment and warning it threatens devolved governance.
The deal, described as a KSh80 billion partnership between the national government and Nairobi County, was formalised at State House to coordinate services such as roads, water, housing, waste management and drainage.
Speaking at a press briefing in Nairobi on 18 February, Sifuna disputed the legality of the pact, arguing it was concluded without prior public participation – a constitutional requirement for agreements affecting county functions.
He said the deal itself admits that no consultation was undertaken before signing, making it a clear breach of the Constitution.
Sifuna also said giving a 14‑day window after signing for public input was too short and amounted to a token gesture rather than meaningful engagement with Nairobi residents.
Sifuna rejected the national government’s portrayal of the cooperation as support, labelling it a “backdoor power grab” that could erode the autonomy guaranteed to county governments.
He said the structure of the oversight mechanism, particularly the steering committee, is heavily weighted in favour of national government appointees.
Of the 12 members, a significant majority are nominated by the national executive, he noted, warning that this effectively places Governor Sakaja under the authority of Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
“From its structure, the Governor will play subservient to the Prime Cabinet Secretary, making Sakaja the new deputy governor for all intents and purposes,” Sifuna said, adding this undermines proper cooperation.
The senator also questioned the headline figure of KSh80 billion, calling it a “ruse” compared to over KSh100 billion that state agencies owe the county in unpaid rates and other obligations.
He urged the government to clear these debts and use established legal avenues such as conditional grants and transfer of devolved functions to support Nairobi’s development instead of this pact.
Sifuna warned that the agreement could complicate oversight by bodies like the Senate, the County Assembly and the Auditor‑General if implemented in its current form, and reiterated his call for the deal to be revoked immediately.
President Ruto and Governor Sakaja have defended the pact as a constitutional collaboration to boost service delivery in the capital, insisting it does not amount to transfer of functions