President William Ruto has pledged to take decisive action against cartels and brokers profiting from disorder in Nairobi, declaring that “the era of appeasing powerful interests at the expense of the public must come to an end.”
Addressing the Nairobi County Assembly on Thursday, he said leadership is about “delivering justice, dignity, order and opportunity for the majority,” warning that illegal encroachments, structures, and dumping will be removed and reorganized to restore urban order.
President William Ruto addressing Nairobi County Assembly on April 9,2026.PHOTO/PCSPresident Ruto emphasized the importance of Nairobi to Kenya’s national and economic well-being, stating that “when Nairobi works, Kenya works. When Nairobi fails, Kenya pays the price.”
He described the city as the country’s engine of growth, hosting the only United Nations headquarters in the Global South, diplomatic missions, multinational firms, regional institutions, innovators, entrepreneurs, and millions of residents pursuing opportunity every day.
Acknowledging the capital’s long-standing governance challenges, the President noted that more than 60% of Nairobi residents live in informal settlements saying many wards still struggle with inadequate water supply, poor sanitation, insufficient mobility, and unplanned urban growth.
“These are symptoms of a city that has for too long been managed reactively instead of strategically,” he said.
The President’s announcement builds on a formal cooperation agreement between the Nairobi City County Government and the National Government, signed in February 2026.
The pact establishes an initial Sh80 billion capital commitment to transform key sectors, including roads, drainage, housing, and solid waste management.
Specifically, the national government will contribute Sh2 billion annually to support Nairobi’s waste management system, complementing county efforts to establish material recovery facilities and transfer stations across the city.
Highlighting the role of corrupt networks, President Ruto said: “There are cartels who profit from disorder. There are interests that thrive in illegal connections, illegal dumping, illegal occupation, illegal construction and progress. We must take the cartels in the city of Nairobi head on. Whoever they are, however powerful they may be, it is your responsibility and the county government, and you have the national government support to deal with them.”
He pointed to successes in other sectors, including sugar and coffee, where confronting cartels restored fairness and improved earnings for farmers.
“If we are not prepared to bear the temporary inconvenience of fixing this city, then we must stop pretending that we are serious about changing it,” he warned, stressing that reforms and order carry a cost but maintaining the status quo is far more expensive.
President Ruto concluded that Nairobi’s transformation will require disciplined leadership, coordination between county and national governments, and hard decisions to reclaim the city from disorder and criminal exploitation.
