Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, on November 19, 2025, announced the appointment of six new Borough Managers across the city.
He also reorganised 17 Subcounty and Ward Administrators in a move aimed at improving service delivery across the city and enhancing accountability.
The Boroughs include Western, Northern, Southern, Eastern, South Eastern and Central.
“Our intention is to move City Hall and our services closer to Nairobians by ensuring that every corner of the city has a champion accountable for local service delivery. Our goal is also to cut unnecessary bottlenecks and ensure that every resident feels the impact of a working and responsive county government,” Sakaja said.
What are boroughs?
A borough is an administrative division within a city, created to manage local governance and deliver public services more efficiently.
In Nairobi, each borough will cover a cluster of sub-counties and will be led by a borough manager responsible for coordinating services such as roads, water supply, waste collection, and infrastructure development.
Boroughs are intended to bring decision-making closer to residents, improve accountability, and allow for tailored budgets and development plans that reflect the specific needs of each area.
In addition, borough-level committees will enable community participation, giving residents a voice in planning and oversight.
The boroughs will act as a bridge between central city administration and local communities, making government more accessible and responsive.
What the appointment of borough managers means for Nairobi residents.
For residents, this creates a clear point of contact for addressing issues in their neighbourhoods, making it easier to seek solutions and hold officials accountable.
Beyond accountability, the appointments reflect a broader push for decentralisation.
By giving boroughs their own budgets and development plans, the city aims to tailor services to the specific needs of each area.
Residents can now expect more responsive and efficient service delivery, as decisions are made closer to the communities they affect.
The borough managers are also expected to collaborate with community committees, which include local associations and stakeholders.
This partnership allows citizens to actively participate in planning and oversight, giving them a stronger voice in how their neighbourhoods are run.
In practical terms, Nairobi residents can look forward to a system that is more organised, transparent, and focused on local priorities, bringing government closer to the people it serves.
Nairobi’s boroughs can be compared to systems in other cities around the world that aim to decentralise local governance and bring services closer to residents.
For example, in London, United Kingdom, Nairobi can be compared to its 32 boroughs, which serve as local government units within the city.
Each London borough has its own elected council responsible for key services, including education, housing, waste management, and social services.
Above them, the Greater London Authority (GLA) led by the Mayor and Assembly, handles city-wide functions such as transport, policing, and major infrastructure projects.
The similarity lies in the balance between local autonomy and central oversight.
Like London’s boroughs, Nairobi’s boroughs are designed to manage day-to-day services at the local level, while the city government focuses on broader strategic planning and coordination.
This allows for more efficient and responsive governance.
Moreover, in New York City, United States, it is divided into five boroughs, namely Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island.
Each borough is coextensive with a county and is represented by a borough president, though most executive powers are centralised under the Mayor and City Council.
Boroughs in New York primarily serve as geographic and administrative units rather than independent service providers.
Nairobi’s boroughs, however, are intended to go further by having real operational responsibilities, dedicated budgets, and a borough manager responsible for service delivery.
This gives Nairobi’s system more practical power at the local level, aiming to ensure faster response to community needs and better accountability.
Furthermore, in Berlin, Germany, the city is divided into districts or Bezirke, which handle local administration such as building permits, neighbourhood services, and community planning.
In Berlin, strategic functions, including city-wide transport, major infrastructure, and policing, remain under central city authority.
Nairobi’s boroughs are comparable in that they are intended to handle day-to-day municipal services while remaining coordinated under the central county government.
Both systems aim to bring government closer to residents, encourage citizen participation, and tailor services to local needs, highlighting how decentralised structures can improve efficiency and responsiveness in large urban centres.
