Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has defended the presence of firefighters with academic backgrounds unrelated to emergency services, saying experience and specialised training have made them some of the most capable officers in the county’s fire department.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Sunday, Sakaja addressed concerns raised by members of the public over reports that some officers serving in Nairobi’s firefighting unit studied courses such as theology and library science in university.
According to the governor, many of the officers joined the department years ago and gradually developed their skills through practical work and professional training programmes organised by the county.
“People come with various backgrounds, and then they go to training,” Sakaja said during the interview.
He explained that firefighting is largely a technical and practical field that relies heavily on hands-on experience.
Over time, officers acquire specialised knowledge through drills, emergency response operations and additional courses related to disaster management and rescue work.
“A lot of these workers have worked in that fire department for so many years and put their lives at risk,” Sakaja said. “They go get an extra course, but inherently through apprenticeship and doing the work, they are the most qualified.”
The governor also noted that there is no common university degree specifically dedicated to firefighting in Kenya, meaning most emergency responders build their competence through training institutions and workplace experience.
His remarks come amid growing scrutiny of qualifications among public officers in county governments, with critics questioning whether academic credentials should directly match job roles in technical departments.
However, Sakaja maintained that operational ability and field experience remain the most important factors in emergency response services.
He said many of the firefighters currently serving in Nairobi have spent years responding to fires, rescues and other disasters across the city.
The governor added that the county government continues to support professional training for its firefighters to ensure they remain prepared to handle emergencies in the capital.