Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is facing intense pressure after the tragic death of Beatrice Njeri, a contractor whose family says she succumbed to depression caused by prolonged financial stress linked to unpaid dues from the Nairobi County Government.
The family claims that the county owes Njeri Ksh.36,787,221 for a 2.7-kilometre road contract in Ruai’s Kanisani area, identified as NCCG/M&W/T/125/2023-2024.
The unpaid amount, they say, led to mounting pressure from loans and other debts, affecting her mental health.
According to her brother, James Kang’ore, the family had secured bank loans to fund the project, and the stress of unpaid dues took a serious toll on Njeri’s wellbeing.
“Tulifanya contract na tukadai deni kubwa ya barabara mpaka Njeri akaanza kushikwa na pressure sababu ya pressures za loan kwa hizo millions tulikuwa tumechukua kwa banks. Na pia tuko na madeni nyingi hatujawahi lipwa. We constructed the road in 2024 September and from that time alikuwa na pressures mingi sana na kwa hivyo tunaomba Governor asaidie tulipwe,” he said.
Another brother, Peter Wambugu Githua, said the family had repeatedly followed up with county officials since 2024 without receiving any payment.
“Tumekuwa na madeni hadi mama akashiwa na stress na depression hadi akatuacha. Governor alikuwa amesema atatulipa since 2024 mpaka saa hii bado. Tuko na deni za tractors, fuel na mambo mingi sana na tunaomba tulipwe. We have been writing to them but they are yet to pay,” he stated.
Ruth Wahome, a fellow contractor, confirmed that Njeri and her team had completed the Kanisani road project and submitted their first invoice in October 2024 but had not been paid to date.
“Nilipigiwa simu na foreman wangu nikaambiwa Njeri ameaga. Tulipewa hiyo contract ya Kanisani na Njeri alisupply materials tukafanya kazi and the first invoice we raised it on October 2024 and still hatujawahi lipwa,” Wahome said. She added that the financial strain caused repossession of equipment and vehicles: “Njeri alifika mahali hadi pressures zikakua mingi vile machines zake zilianza kuchukuliwa na bank sababu ya loans. Mimi hadi gari yangu ilichukuliwa. Mimi naomba Nairobi County na other counties waache kuumiza contractors sababu wanakalisha pesa over two years…huyu mama has been very hardworking but now ako kwa kaburi. Tumedai over Ksh.36 million. Sasa watoto wake wamebaki maskini na bila mama na si vizuri. Tafadhali Sakaja, lipa pesa ndio hii familia isiangamie.”
The family now seeks urgent settlement of the pending amount to clear a Ksh.3.2 million hospital bill, which has led to the detention of Njeri’s body at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital. They stress that payment would also cover debts for construction materials and equipment used in the Kanisani Road project.
The case highlights concerns over delays in payments to contractors by the Nairobi County Government, raising serious questions about the management of public funds under Governor Sakaja.
This is a hard-hitting reminder of the real human cost when financial obligations remain unmet, and the family is appealing directly to Sakaja for immediate action to prevent further tragedy.
