Former senior adviser to the President, Moses Kuria/FILE
Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has now
said that he intends to contest the Nairobi governorship in the 2027 General
Election.
In a statement, Kuria said he had been moved by President
William Ruto’s recent remarks about the state of the capital city, declaring
his readiness to fix Nairobi.
He said the sentiments have been shared with former Prime
Minister Raila Odinga, and he is ready to get the job done.
“Dear President William Ruto. Today you spoke to my heart.
Like Prime Minister Baba Raila Amolo Odinga has told me countless times,
Nairobi cannot continue to be the city of filth, garbage and incompetence,”
Kuria wrote on X.
“I have heard your
cry. That is why I will offer myself to be the Governor of the great County of
Nairobi in 2027. I will fix Nairobi.”
Kuria now joins a crowded list of many governor hopefuls who
intend to challenge incumbent Johnson Sakaja for the seat.
Others are MPs Babu Owino (Embakasi East), James Gakuya (Embakasi
North), George Aladwa (Makadara) and business woman Agnes Kagure, former PS Irungu
Nyakera, with many more expected to show interest as we edge closer to the elections.
In the 2022 elections, Kuria unsuccessfully sought to become
the Governor of Kiambu, his home county.
The former Gatundu South MP and one-time Trade Cabinet
Secretary, who later on served as President William Ruto’s senior economic
adviser made the revelkations after the Head of State on Sunday announced a
joint plan between the national and Nairobi County governments to restore the
capital’s image.
The President said the two governments will work jointly for
Nairobi to reflect the right image of Kenya.
Speaking during a church service, the President said he had
met with Nairobi leaders and agreed on three key priorities.
They are cleaning the city, improving roads, and installing
street lighting.
“We must make sure that Nairobi represents the right image
of Kenya. I have sat down with Nairobi leaders, and we have agreed on three
important issues where the national and county governments will help each other
to achieve. The first thing is to clean Nairobi city, it can’t continue to be
the city in the filth,” he said.
He said the ongoing cleanup of the city is already
underway, led by thousands of young people working on the Nairobi River
Regeneration Project.
Ruto said the government is finalising an agreement with
private sector partners to expand the cleanup initiative across the city.
“We are in the final stages of signing an agreement with the
private sector on how we are going to clean this city; it can’t continue being
like this,” he added.
On infrastructure, the President pledged that all roads in
the capital will be tarmacked, with the national government providing resources
to support Nairobi County in the effort.
He also promised to enhance street lighting across the city
to improve safety and mobility.
“We agreed that Nairobi County has no lights; we should have
lights. Many things go wrong in the dark areas. I have agreed that the national
and county government will make sure Nairobi becomes mobile, clean, and a city
that is in the light and not in darkness,” Ruto said.
