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Sakaja defends Nairobi County deal with Ruto ‘it is only way’ as criticism mount

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Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja firmly defended his cooperation agreement with the national government during his appearance before a Senate committee on Thursday, February 26, 2026.

He insisted he followed the constitution fully and would sign the deal again if needed. Sakaja told the committee he remained convinced the pact aligned with the law.

“I feel that we followed the constitution, 100 per cent. I am convinced,” he said.

He pointed to specific articles:

“The extent to which maybe you will say the participation is not 100 per cent or whatnot is debatable; it is subjective. But following the constitution, 189 for setting up the communities of collaboration, and Article 6 for setting up an agreement, I am 100 per cent sure that we’ve done it.”

He stressed his commitment to the approach.

“And let me tell you, Chair, just to affirm, because I haven’t finished, tomorrow I will do it again. Because I believe it is the only way after I have looked at what this city requires,” Sakaja declared.

He explained that many problems in counties stem from unclear roles and limited resources.

“Many times I see that frustration because of lack of resources. They play the blame game because of a lack of clarity on what the county function is and what the national function is,” he added.

The governor highlighted practical benefits.

“What has taken me so long even to pay salaries on time? Today is the 26th, and I’m paying salaries.”

He mentioned studying other cities like Lagos for ideas on waste management and resourcing.

“I have looked at other cities; I have had five years. I have looked at what Lagos is doing, whether it is in waste management or whether it is in resourcing it,” he said.

As the steward of Nairobi, he viewed the agreement as essential.

“I promise you, as a steward of this city, because it’s a mandate from the people, this is a route I have seen that I would stand for anywhere, and I would defend anywhere.”

Sakaja addressed ongoing legal challenges.

“Currently, there is a court process; you know, I think the hearing is sometime in March. I am willing to go on the dock myself. To defend why I have seen this as an opportunity for my city, because questions will be asked, and I have to account for that,” he stated.

Shared costs, not takeover

The session followed the February 17, 2026, signing of the deal at State House, which unlocks around Ksh80 billion for projects in areas like waste management, roads, water, and riverside regeneration. Critics, including some MCAs and opposition figures, have called it a threat to devolution or a repeat of the failed Nairobi Metropolitan Services model from 2020.

Sakaja has repeatedly rejected that comparison, arguing the current pact involves no transfer of functions under Article 197, creates no new institutions, and allows no national takeover of county taxes. He maintained that the agreement enables shared costs without surrendering authority.

For example, on garbage collection, he noted the current system costs billions with no revenue return. The deal shares expenses, with the county covering most and the national government adding support.

“For the 6 billion mimi nitalipa 4 billion, 2 billion naongezewa na serikali kuu. Nikatae?” he asked in earlier remarks.

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen has backed the pact, saying it follows the Intergovernmental Relations Act and Article 189 of the Constitution for cooperation between levels of government. Sakaja’s defence at the Senate committee showed his determination to push ahead.

He sees the agreement as a practical fix for Nairobi’s resource shortages and service delivery gaps, and he stands ready to justify it in court or anywhere else-PeopleDaily.digital.

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National Assembly dismisses claims Sacco Bill is being rushed through Parliament

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The National Assembly has dismissed reports that the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025, is being rushed through Parliament, saying the proposed law is still undergoing public participation.

Through infographics shared on Facebook on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Parliament said misleading information had been circulating online about the Bill, formally known as the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill No. 32 of 2025.

Bill was published in June 2025

The National Assembly said the Bill was published on June 30, 2025, and had remained under consideration for more than 12 months.

It rejected suggestions that lawmakers were fast-tracking the proposed amendments without allowing enough time for scrutiny.

According to Parliament, the lengthy period between the publication of the Bill and its current consideration shows that it is not being rushed.

Bill currently before the National Assembly committee

The Sacco Societies Amendment Bill is currently before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.

The committee is conducting public participation and receiving views from members of the public and other stakeholders.

The submissions are expected to help the committee assess the proposed amendments before presenting its recommendations to the National Assembly.

What happens after public participation?

After the public participation process is concluded, the committee will prepare a report containing its findings and recommendations.

Parliament said the views submitted by members of the public and stakeholders could inform further amendments to the Bill.

The proposed legislation will then proceed to the National Assembly for consideration by MPs.

This means the Bill has not yet completed the legislative process and could still be amended based on the submissions received during public participation.

Bill will be forwarded to Senate

The National Assembly also clarified that the Bill will not proceed directly for presidential assent after being passed by MPs.

Because the proposed legislation concerns county governments, it will be forwarded to the Senate for consideration in accordance with the Constitution.

The Senate will be required to consider the Bill before it can complete the parliamentary process and be presented for presidential assent.

Parliament urged members of the public to rely on verified information about the Sacco Societies Amendment Bill instead of unconfirmed reports circulating online-PeopleDaily.Digital.

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Digital house-hunting platform bets on technology to reshape Nairobi’s rental market

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NAIROBI, Kenya, July 14 – A growing shift towards digital property searches is changing how Kenyans find rental homes, with real estate technology platform Reemio positioning itself as a solution to longstanding challenges.

This included fraudulent listings, costly house searches and limited market transparency.

As younger, tech-savvy consumers turn to online platforms to make purchasing decisions, the company says digitizing the rental process could improve efficiency for both tenants and landlords while lowering transaction costs.

“Our niche is to solve the problem of house hunting and also bring trust into that process. We use technology to connect renters and landlords,” said Kimani.

Kimani said the platform seeks to address inefficiencies that have traditionally made house hunting expensive and time-consuming.

Instead of physically visiting multiple properties, users can browse verified listings, take virtual tours, compare amenities and access information on additional costs such as water charges, electricity bills and service fees before scheduling physical viewings.

Beyond improving convenience for tenants, Reemio argues that technology can help landlords reduce marketing costs, shorten vacancy periods and reach a wider pool of prospective tenants, including Kenyans living abroad.

The company says its platform also generates market data that can help property owners and developers better understand evolving consumer preferences, although its long-term impact will depend on wider adoption of digital property platforms and continued investment in trustworthy online real estate marketplaces-Capitalfm.co.ke.

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ORPP edges two parties closer to joining Kenya’s political arena

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The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has issued a notice for the provisional registration of two proposed political parties, opening a seven-day window for members of the public to lodge objections.

In a notice published by the Registrar of Political Parties and Chief Executive Officer J.C. Lorionokou, the ORPP announced that the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) and the People’s Alternative Voice (PAV) are in the process of being provisionally registered under Section 5(2)(a) of the Political Parties Act.

The ORPP, a State office established under Section 33 of the Political Parties Act and Article 260 of the Constitution, said its mandate includes registering and regulating political parties as well as administering the Political Parties Fund.

According to the notice, the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) has adopted pink, white and sky blue as its official party colours, with the slogan “Change – Mageuzi.” The party’s symbol is the acronym SDP enclosed inside a circle.

The party’s listed founder members are Nyangong’ Duncan Nyumbah, Omwandasi Jared Dishon and Kinyua Mary Wacuka.

The founders of PAV are listed as Odenyo John Fitzgerald Elly, Nyando Rachel Mmboga and Ali Hussein Kiplangat.

The Registrar said particulars of the two proposed political parties have been published on the ORPP website to facilitate public scrutiny as required by law.

Any person wishing to oppose the provisional registration of either party has seven days from the date of publication of the notice to submit objections either in writing or in person to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties at Lion Place, Fourth Floor, Waiyaki Way at Karuna Close, Nairobi.

The provisional registration marks the first step in the legal process of establishing a political party in Kenya.

Kenya has 91 fully registered political parties. The ORPP’s updated register indicates that, as of January 2026, there were 91 parties that had met the legal requirements for full registration under the Political Parties Act-STAR.

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