- Governor to reorganize his county executive committee after dodging an impeachment attempt.
- On Thursday, September 18, Sakaja held a consultative meeting with Nairobi City County Assembly Speaker Ken Ng’ondi and members of the House Liaison Committee.
By Adieri Mulaa
A purge is looming in the Nairobi City County executive committee (cabinet) after Governor Johnson Sakaja recently survived an impeachment attempt by the county legislators.
The reorganization is highly anticipated, after Sakaja dodged a plot to eject him from City Hall, following high level lobbying and political canvassing by President William Ruto and ODM party leader Raila Odinga.
Arising from the negotiated relief, President Ruto reportedly gave Sakaja 60 days to address the concerns raised by MCAs, while they put on hold the process of impeaching him.
As the clock ticks away from September 2, an atmosphere of anxiety has engulfed Nairobi county senior staff on the executive wing at City Hall.
On Thursday, September 18, 2025 afternoon, Sakaja held a consultative meeting with Nairobi City County Assembly Speaker Ken Ng’ondi, and members of the House Liaison Committee.
The Liaison Committee chaired by Deputy Speaker and Mihang’o Ward MCA, Kiguathi Kados is a key organ of the Assembly. It comprises chairpersons of all the Sectoral and Select Committees of the county assembly.
The governor wrote on his Facebook page that the meeting focused on matters regarding how to strengthen relationship between the two arms of the county government.
Even though, the Assembly is scheduled to resume House business on Tuesday, September 23, from a long recess. Sifting through the undertones, MCAs will be expected to take stock of the suspended impeachment process towards the 60-day finish line.
The meeting between the Liaison Committee and the County Executive happened amid speculation about an impending changes in the administration.
Names of county officials and dockets likely to be affected in the imminent reorganisation have been floated within City Hall, albeit on speculations.
The docket of the County Secretary and Head of County Public Service is among those likely to be affected. The position is currently held by Mr Geoffrey Akumali in acting capacity.
Other portfolios on spot include Finance and Economic Affairs, Chief Finance Officer and the county lands sector, according to insiders.
Names floated for the position of County Secretary include that of the Chief Officer for Water and Sewerage, Mr Oscar Omoke, that of Chief Officer Urban Development and Planning, Mr Patrick Analo and Mr Akumali.
The Chief Officer in the Office of the Governor and Private Secretary to the Governor, Ms. Priscilla Mahinda has also been mentioned as a likely candidate for the position of County Secretary.
Others mentioned in the likely changes are the CECM for Buroughs, Administration and Personnel, Mr S.G. Mwangi, the CECM Built Environment and Urban Planning, Mr Patrick Mbogo, the County Administrator, Mr Peter Ogola and the Chief Officer Disaster Management, Mr Bramwel Simiyu.
Ogola, previously served as a District Officer (DO). He joined the devolved county government services as a Sub-County Administrator, under the inaugural regime of Governor Evans Kidero.
Nonetheless, Section 44 (2) (a) of the County Governments Act, 2012 provides that the County Secretary shall be competitively sourced from amongst persons who are university graduates, with at least 10 years experience in administration and management.
Further, compliant to Articles 10 and 232 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and Section 44 (2) (b) of the County Governments Act, the County Public Service Board is required to advertise and competitively shortlist qualified candidates for interview.
The governor, thereafter, forwards a name of one nominee to the County Assembly for approval hearing (vetting) by the House Committee on Appointments, which if approved by the plenary, is sent to the governor for substantive appointment.
Omoke is a close ally of Sakaja and one of Raila’s point men who were appointed by the governor to appease ODM interests at City Hall soon after the August 2022 elections.
Azimio coalition is the majority party in Nairobi City County Assembly while Governor Sakaja is from the minority Kenya Kwanza coalition.
Omoke vied for Lang’ata parliamentary seat on ODM ticket but was floored at the party primaries by Phelix Odiwuor Kodhe aka Jalang’o who was eventually elected the Member of Parliament.
Political pundits and observers on Nairobi City County affairs claim Raila Odinga could be eyeing a key position at City Hall, arising from a deal that rescued Sakaja from impeachment.
Grievances that were put on the table by Nairobi MCAs included overhaul in the County Treasury. The county legislators demanded the removal of the Chief Finance Officer, Ms Asha Abdi and Mr Osman Khalif, a Liaison Officer in the Office of the Governor and former MCA for South C Ward.
Governor Sakaja wriggled out of the treacherous plot to eject him in a deal brokered separately by Raila Odinga, at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation (JOOF), and President William Ruto at State House.
To tame the MCAs, the governor employed extensive lobbying and horse-trading tactics, roping in COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli together with veteran politician and former Cabinet Minister Fred Gumo.
It was Gumo and Atwoli who laid negotiation bridges for Sakaja at the ODM top hierarchy and State House level. Gumo’s son, Mr Mike Mayo Gumo is the CECM for Innovation and Digital Economy in Nairobi City County Government.
This enabled Sakaja to nip in the bud the impeachment process, thus allowing him opportunity to redeem himself from grave accusations by the MCAs.
In a move that appears to be tailored towards reorganisation of his government, on Tuesday, September 16, Sakaja chaired a meeting of his executive committee.
It was the 66th cabinet meeting he convened with his County Executive Committee Members, to deliberate on the most pressing issues facing Nairobi and service delivery.
Last week, the governor together with Deputy Governor Njoroge Muchiri held a two-day cabinet retreat with his Executive Committee at the Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club.
The meeting was convened to review progress, align priorities and map out strategies to fast-track service delivery and transformative development for Nairobi City.
According to the governor, his focus remains clear on better infrastructure, efficient services, sustainable growth of Nairobi city.
Going forward, Sakaja says teamwork, accountability and innovation will drive his agenda for a city that works for all in terms of better infrastructure and efficient services.
Sources at City Hall intimated that Finance Chief Officer Asha Abdi and the governor’s aide Osman Khalif had been moved from their positions as demanded by MCAs before shelving the impeachment process.
However, no official communication has been made by the office of the governor to confirm any changes in the administration so far.
A conversation with some MCAs and insiders over impending changes in the county executive yielded indications that the county legislators strongly feel their time was running up.
That they need prompt implementation and completion of Ward projects with budget allocations that are lined up.
The Ward Representatives would prefer a County Secretary who will get to office and hit the ground running, instead of a new person who would take six months settling down to familiarize with systems at City Hall.
Among the names that have been floated, Mr Analo could exhibit the necessary experience in the county government, having acted in the position for atleast two years.
Analo is an Urban Planner, carrying vast experience and institutional memory on City Hall affairs. He served in the defunct City Council of Nairobi, rising through the ranks to administrative and management positions in the devolved government.
Some county legislators we spoke to indicated that Analo could fit into the much needed crash programme, if accorded the opportunity to step in and pick up, to implement the pending and stalled development projects in the Wards.
Stalled projects are among the concerns MCAs have persistently raised with the county executive. The projects have put the Ward representatives at crossroads with their electorates.
Impeccable sources at City Hall told Tukio that the anticipated purge could see some CECMs dropped, and chief officers elevated in a reorganized government.
After surviving the aborted impeachment attempt, Sakaja’s allies believe some members of his executive team have contributed to his woes with MCAs, hence the need for a purge.