A liaison committee has been set up to act as a link between the County Assembly of Nairobi and Nairobi Metropolitan Service.
Speaker of the County Assembly Beatrice Elachi has formed the Nairobi City County Emerging Issues sub-committee, which is part of wider plans to have a framework of engagement between the two entities.
Elachi had earlier hinted about the “liaison committee” that will comprise of legislators and officers from NMS to boost communication with the assembly.
“Once established, the liaison committee will widen the engagement between NMS and the assembly. As we move on, the committee can recommend a few officers to appear before the committee and brief on the transferred functions,” she said.
The Nairobi City County Emerging Issues sub-committee will comprise nine MCAs and will be chaired by Ngara MCA Chege Mwaura who will be deputised by Nominated MCA Susan Makungu.
It was also revealed that a liaison office will also be established, stationed at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), and will be made up of a Secretariat from both the assembly and NMS to work on the technical bits of the engagement.
According to Ngara ward rep Chege Mwaura, the committee will act as the main point of contact, where issues can be channelled between the assembly and NMS to ensure a smooth running of the transferred functions.
It will also look into emerging issues in Nairobi such as the coronavirus pandemic with a view to providing a framework of dealing with the same.
“We needed an interface that can help members work in terms of legislative function and get to know how the transferred functions are doing,” Mwaura said.
“ Having a contact person from both the assembly and NMS is an assurance of a structured way of engagement with NMS. This will be in order so that when we as an assembly have issues that need to be addressed such as work plans, legislation and oversight role, we know who to contact,” he added.
While paying a courtesy call to the assembly last month, NMS DG Director-General Mohammed Badi had told the legislators that due to his commitment and intense work, he could not be able to engage all 122 MCAs.
He also made it clear that NMS is not interested in and will not engage in county politics.
“I’m not a politician and I don’t have a say in politics and don’t wish to do so. Mine is service delivery. I’m here as your servant and I can assure you I will work round the clock to ensure that all the 85 wards are developed,” he said.
The DG was setting the record straight after the NMS was dragged into County Assembly wrangles in which some MCAs accuse their colleagues of not supporting his office.
NMS was in May formally gazetted as a department under the Executive Office of the President meaning it could now get its funding directly from the National Treasury.
This left the oversight role of the assembly over the transferred functions of transport, health, public works, utilities and ancillary services and county planning and development in limbo.
