Mudavadi orders faster delivery of Nairobi Rising Projects

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi at a past event in Nairobi. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has directed government agencies and Nairobi City County to tighten coordination, review implementation timelines and accelerate delivery of key projects under the Nairobi Rising Programme.

Speaking during the third Joint Steering Committee meeting under the National Government–Nairobi City County Cooperation Agreement, Mudavadi said the ambitious Sh80 billion programme must deliver tangible results within the set timelines.

"We have to ensure what is to be achieved within the set timeline is done. In the next 13 months, Nairobians will have an opportunity to interrogate what we have done for them from the promises we made," he said.

Mudavadi described the Nairobi Rising Programme as a critical initiative aligned with the national and county governments' vision of sustainable urban transformation, saying it is designed to improve the quality of life for city residents through investments in essential infrastructure and services.

He said projects in water and sanitation will guarantee reliable access to clean water and modern sewerage systems, while investments in roads, security, street lighting, drainage, markets and urban connectivity are expected to improve mobility, enhance safety and stimulate economic growth.

The implementation committee, chaired by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, presented a progress report since the second Joint Steering Committee meeting held in April, highlighting significant milestones across several flagship projects.

According to the report, the Nairobi River regeneration programme and solid waste management initiatives are at advanced stages, with Phase One of the regeneration project now 77 per cent complete.

Under the roads programme, about 17.1 kilometres of roads have been identified for upgrading to bitumen standards, with six roads currently under construction while additional projects await technical approvals and clearances.

The street lighting programme is also progressing, with the first batch of 5,000 solar-powered street lights expected to be shipped in mid-July as preparations continue in collaboration with the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), Nairobi City County Government and the Nairobi Rivers Commission.

Construction of modern markets has surpassed 60 per cent completion, with eight markets currently under construction while seven more are awaiting funding before works commence.

The Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company's last-mile connectivity programme is also underway and is expected to improve access to safe water and sanitation through the installation of 450 kilometres of water distribution pipelines and 110 kilometres of sewer lines across the city.

Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Erick Muriithi said progress has also been made on the construction of the 54-kilometre twin trunk sewer along the Nairobi River corridor, a key project aimed at improving wastewater management and restoring the river ecosystem.

"So far, 3.5 kilometres of the sewer line have been completed," he said.

Muriithi added that additional interventions to reduce non-revenue water are planned, including reinforcement of water pipelines, replacement of ageing asbestos pipes, installation of smart and bulk water meters, and modernization of monitoring systems.

Mudavadi urged implementing agencies to ensure prudent use of public funds and focus on delivering value to Nairobi residents.

He also underscored the importance of transparency, noting that the Communications Sub-Committee has begun developing a comprehensive public communication strategy to keep residents informed of project progress.

"We promised Nairobians that we would communicate with them regularly on the implementation of the Nairobi Rising Programme. I also promised the Senate and the National Assembly that we would take them on guided tours to witness the progress on roads, Nairobi River regeneration, housing and non-motorized transport projects," he said.

On his part, Governor Sakaja said the communications team is working to strengthen public reporting and provide clear updates on implementation milestones.