Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has intensified signals that he may vie for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat in 2027, presenting his possible candidacy as a response to the capital’s deep-seated problems rather than personal political ambition.
Speaking during an interview at the home of Morris Ogeta, former personal bodyguard to the late ex-Prime Minister Raila Odinga, in Uyoma, Siaya County, Kuria said his interest in the governorship is not about political survival but about offering leadership capable of transformative change.
“I don’t need Nairobi, Nairobi needs me. I can survive without being governor or something,” he said, stressing that his motivation stems from the city’s urgent need for competent governance.
Reflecting on his earlier bid for the Kiambu governorship, Kuria distanced himself from the loss and shifted the focus to outcomes rather than titles.
“I tried to be the Governor of Kiambu, I didn't make it. I am not worse, Kiambu county is worse,” he noted.
He positioned himself as a reform-driven technocrat, emphasising that his goal is to rescue Nairobi from what he described as systemic decay.
“I'm just trying to save Nairobi, and if Nairobi thinks they have a better person, so be it,” he said, adding that he would respect the voters’ decision if they chose otherwise.
Kuria painted a stark picture of the city, saying that minor fixes cannot address the magnitude of its problems. “Nairobi is in a terrible mess. Nairobi is a big slum sprinkled with few green places,” he said. He argued that the capital needs comprehensive restructuring, not short-term interventions.
Drawing on examples from abroad, Kuria suggested an unconventional solution: building a new city to ease congestion and modernise Nairobi. “If I was governor of Nairobi I would create a new city just like Nigeria did. Nigeria could have fixed Lagos but they created Abuja,” he said. “Nairobi requires re-engineering not repairing.”
He anchored his proposal on his international experience, explaining that his work advising governments and multinational firms has given him insight into how successful cities operate. “I am a widely travelled person. I still do it, I advise big companies and governments abroad. I know what is possible and what is not possible,” Kuria said.
He maintained that Nairobi needs leadership with both vision and technical knowledge. “Only someone like me who is widely travelled with relevant experience can fix it,” he said.
Despite his confidence, Kuria stressed that his potential candidacy depends on public support, expressing a conciliatory tone toward the electorate. “If Nairobi wants I'm available; if they don’t want the village is waiting for me,” he said, ending with a message of goodwill: “I wish Nairobi nothing by the very best.”
