Korogocho MCA Absalom Odhiambo recently revealed how an impeachment push against Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja was abruptly halted after pressure from top political figures.
According to him, the process had gained serious momentum, with over 80 MCAs from both UDA and ODM signing on to the motion.
This rare unity between rival camps showed how frustrated Nairobi’s leaders have become under Sakaja’s administration.
Their grievances were not baseless; complaints ranged from poor service delivery, uncollected garbage in estates, and delays in ward development projects, to irregularities in bursary allocations for needy students.
Many MCAs argued that Sakaja had sidelined them from important decisions, leaving them powerless as the capital fell deeper into disarray.
The impeachment effort, which began to take shape in late August 2025, was more than just political drama.
It was a reflection of deep discontent with how the governor has handled the city’s affairs since taking office in 2022. Nairobians continue to live with flooding during rains, heaps of uncollected garbage piling in neighborhoods, and stalled infrastructure projects.
These issues were central in the motion, which accused Sakaja of ignoring accountability and hiding behind a team of aides who allegedly create barriers between him and the assembly.
Such complaints are not new, as similar questions over financial management and approvals had been raised in 2024, showing a trend of failed governance.
When President William Ruto met UDA MCAs at State House and Raila Odinga later called his ODM team, both leaders urged the assembly to shelve the impeachment motion.
Their main argument was stability, with Ruto warning that Nairobi could not afford political chaos as the country heads toward the 2027 elections.
A 60-day pause was agreed upon, with Sakaja present to promise better communication and transparency going forward.
Yet this intervention left many leaders and residents questioning whether the governor was being shielded from accountability.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino openly wondered why national leaders were interfering in county oversight, while Ruth Odinga warned that this move undermines devolution by protecting failed county bosses from facing the consequences of their actions.
The truth is that Nairobians are the biggest losers in this deal. Instead of seeing urgent solutions to garbage collection, proper drainage, and bursaries for struggling families, residents are forced to endure another waiting game.
The so-called grace period now puts Sakaja on the spot to prove he can actually deliver, but history has shown repeated delays and excuses rather than results.
The fact that both UDA and ODM MCAs signed up for his impeachment shows this was not about politics, but about real failures affecting people’s lives.
Ruto and Raila may have bought Sakaja more time, but they did nothing to solve the pressing issues choking the city. Unless Sakaja takes immediate and visible action, the 60-day pause will only expose his inability to lead Nairobi, confirming the growing belief that his administration is long on promises but short on delivery.
