This archive report was first published on 10 June 2020.
June 10, 2020, marked a significant shift in the governance of Nairobi as the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) began to make its presence felt in the city.
The NMS has been instrumental in the dramatic reorganisation of the city centre, with a focus on rehabilitation of roads and creation of walkways to ease traffic congestion.
One of the notable changes is the conversion of parking slots on Kenyatta Avenue and other streets into paved pathways, aimed at reducing traffic congestion.
Additionally, the NMS has stepped up garbage collection in the central business district and residential areas, improving the overall cleanliness of the city.
Despite the protestations of Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, who has been embroiled in a Sh357 million procurement fraud case, the NMS has continued to operate effectively.
Mr. Sonko's attempts to block the transfer of Sh15 billion to NMS by declining to assent to the 2020 Nairobi City County Supplementary Appropriation Bill were ultimately unsuccessful, as the National Treasury promptly allocated Sh26.6 billion to the NMS.
The recent executive order placing NMS directly under President Uhuru Kenyatta is a clear indication of the high premium he attaches to the agency.
With the apparent truce struck between Governor Sonko and NMS Director-General Mohammed Abdalla Badi, it is in the interest of residents that the age-old challenges be tackled and service delivery improved.
