• Badi says a strategy and timelines make his work easy.
• In the first 100 days, some projects will have taken off.
Image: THE STAR
Major General Mohamed Badi Friday took over the running of Nairobi with a promise to restore its lost glory.
The head Nairobi Metropolitan Services — set up to run the capital after Governor Mike Sonko handed over four key functions to the government — was quick to downplay his military background.
“I live in Nairobi and what affects Nairobi residents affects me. My appointment has nothing to do with my [former] job,” he said.
Badi said it is good he has a foundation that has already been laid.
"There is a strategy and timelines. The first 100 days, some projects will have taken off. We will start with a few projects," he said. He has 25 items to deliver in the first three months.
Badi said the clean-up of the city has started.
"In Burma Market and Muthurwa, we collected 250 tonnes [of garbage] that has been taken to Dandora," he said.
Tourism CS Najib Balala and head of the now-defunct Nairobi Regeneration team said Badi’s experience will turn Nairobi around for good.
Speaking when he handed over the helm, Balala said cleaning up the city is not going to be easy.
“Some programmes took off while others did not,” Balala said.
The CS said the success of his team was in laying the foundation for others to build on.
Balala said they did 38 roads in Eastlands worth Sh2.7 billion with Sh1.8 billion coming from the national government while Sh800 million came from the City Hall.
The CS said electricity was connected to county hospitals.
“Thirty thousand title deeds were issued in Nairobi in May 2018. Five thousand are set to be issued,” he said.
Balala said he had directed relevant county executives to prepare a brief on what has been done, what hasn't and what needs to be done.
He said reshuffling of county CECs, lack of a framework, the absence of a deputy governor dealt the exercise a major blow.
“There was an informal understanding. We got support technically for two months before it fizzled out,” Balala said.
He said the programme also faced political interference as well as marauding cartels which must be dismantled.
The CS said cartels were not faceless as they are known. “We must dismantle for Nairobi to work.”
Balala's team was tasked with fixing public safety and security, housing and settlement, education and health, environment, water and sanitation, garbage management.
Others were traffic management, city transport, job, business and wealth creation, youth, women, people living with disability and social inclusion.
He said the Interior ministry will offer support to crush cartels.
Balala said the exercise could not have been led by a cabinet secretary as they have other duties.
“All Nairobi residents and politicians should give the director-general the support,” Balala said.
Balala said it will be a shame if the regeneration programme does not work.
He said some of the work was ready for implementation.
Balala said the construction permit which has been a problem needs to be institutionalised to be transparent and curb corruption cases.
Badi will be deputised by Physical Planning Permanent Secretary Enosh Momanyi and will oversee the running of Nairobi county.
President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned the Nairobi Metropolitan Services during a formal handover at State House Wednesday.
The NMS takes charge after Governor Mike Sonko handed over the crucial services last month.
This followed the expiry of 21 days for the Deed of Transfer of four crucial functions – health, transport, planning and development, and public works and utilities.
"I have also today created the office of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services. These two gentlemen and other offices to be seconded by both the county and national government will assume control over the functions that have been transferred to the National Government," Uhuru said.
"For Nairobi to continue with its paramount status not only as the capital but a diplomatic city it is essential that the residents must have reliable, efficient and timely services."
The core mandate of the NMS will be to deliver services for the people of Nairobi.
President Kenyatta called on the NMS to bring sanity and dismantle the cartels that have hindered the development of the county.
He further promised the NMS that his office and the government will ensure that it achieves its goals.
The Nairobi Metropolitan Services has been tasked with streamlining urban renewal housing projects in Pangani and Jevanjee whose contracts were awarded in 2018 but are yet to kick off.
"The NMS should review these projects and see how they can take off, realising that these projects are part of the recently concluded Eastlands Urban Renewal Master Plan," Uhuru stated.
The new team was also tasked with actualising the Nairobi City Railway Master Plan that seeks to create and redevelop 425 acres around the Nairobi Central Railway Station to create a world-class multi-model in the Central Business District.
The area was gazetted last week by the Nairobi county government as a special area to pave the way for planning and implementation of the master plan.
Further, the NMS was tasked with ensuring that garbage was collected effectively and efficiently.
It was also directed to crack down on illegal dumpsites and ensure that industries and restaurants did not discharge effluent into rivers.
“I also direct NMS to ensure that their focus will be on operationalising effective garbage collection and disposal methods that will include a collaboration with the National Youth Service,” the President said.
Grounded machinery and equipment requiring minimum repair are expected to be activated.
The Badi team was told to move with speed and recover contested county land meant for solid waste matter.
In 100 days, the team is expected to gazette the legal solid waste dumpsites for both public and private solid waste collectors.
In the same timeline, the NMS will be expected to come up with strategies of equitable water distribution under the rationing programme.
Water vendors will be registered and monitored to limit water cartels and interruption of services.
This will ensure that Nairobians pay fair water bills.
President Kenyatta noted that corruption and cartels at City Hall were the biggest challenges facing the County
"There is no doubt that there have been challenges in the delivery of these services. Part of these challenges are results of internal constraints and capacity issues afflicting Nairobi county. As a result, the public has been deprived of essentials services," he said.
The head of state reiterated that Nairobi is not just Kenya's capital but also an important city in diplomatic circles.
He said the Nairobi Regeneration team formed in 2018 struggled to deliver services to the city.
"We had recognised this problem with Sonko and that is what led to the partnership to develop the Nairobi regeneration programme to deal with the problems faced in Nairobi," Uhuru said.
The occasion was attended by among others head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, Attorney General Paul Kihara and Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.
The others were Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja, Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi, and County CEC for Finance Allan Igambi.