• The newly established Nairobi Metropolitan Services office has been given 100 days to deliver a raft of changes.
• President Uhuru Kenyatta said the team will be tasked to urgently handle the uncollected garbage that is suffocating Nairobi, deal with water rationing among other tasks.
Image: ANDREW KASUKU
The newly established Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) office has been given 100 days to deliver a raft of changes.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday said the team will be tasked to urgently handle the uncollected garbage that is suffocating Nairobi, deal with water rationing among other tasks.
Speaking at State House after presiding over the official take over of Nairobi county functions from Governor Mike Sonko, Uhuru named Major General Mohamed Abdalla Badi who will be the director general of the NMS.
Badi will be deputised by Enos Onyango Momanyi.
“There have been challenges to delivery of services due to internal constraints and capacity issues which have seen Nairobians deprived essential services. From uncollected garbage suffocating the city, water rationing, corruption and cartels who have taken over garbage business, parking, water supply, issuance of permits has made service delivery impossible,” Uhuru said.
He said as a result, two years back his administration initiated a partnership with governor Sonko to develop a regeneration programme with a focus on housing, urban renewal, waste management, street lighting but unfortunately the committee bore no fruits.
“Failure led to further consultation and today as we sign the MoU I have created the office of Nairobi Metropolitan Services whose mandate is to dismantle the cartels and bring an end to corruption,” Uhuru said.
He added, “I know it is a tall order but I pledge that I will ensure you are fully equipped and offered the necessary support”.
The team will have 100 days to review and make determinations on existing projects, streamline urban renewal and come up with development control and approvals for the county.
The office has also been tasked with coming up with Nairobi railway city master plan and establishing city railway development authority.
He said the team should work closely with NAMATA to implement Nairobi urban mobility plan, come up with pedestrian walk ways on Wabera Street, Kenyatta Avenue and Muindi Mbingu Street within the same period.
The team should establish bus stages at Desai and Park roads amid efforts to manage traffic in the CBD and enhance use of traffic lights.
“The NMS should focus on effective garbage collection in collaboration with NYS. All trucks that are grounded must be repaired to increase capacity and they must conduct a serious crackdown on illegal dumpsites and discharge of sewage in rivers,” he said.
Uhuru said Nairobi is not only the capital city, but a regional and regional and diplomatic hub that houses two airports, industrial sector and over four million residents.
"Nairobians are not only industrious but also hardworking with a 40 per cent share of the GDP. It is not a favour, but a service that must be delivered. It is not an easy task but with commitment, honesty and diligence, all this will be possible,” he said.