Of stolen visions and Nairobi's woes: Wanjiru speaks out on Nairobi leadership crisis

Nairobi gubernatorial aspirant Bishop Margaret Wanjiru during an interview at Spice FM, Tuesday September 8,2026. [Screengrab]

Nairobi gubernatorial aspirant Bishop Margaret Wanjiru has painted a grim picture of a city crippled by corruption, poor drainage, waste mismanagement and water shortages, accusing the county administration of stealing her development vision and failing to implement it.

"The current regime campaigned on my vision but failed to implement it. I marketed UDA in Nairobi and when they came in, they found the work already done," said Wanjiru, speaking during an interview at Spice FM on Tuesday, September 8.

Wanjiru, a former Starehe MP and one-time Assistant Minister for Housing, has sought Nairobi's top seat before.

She first pursued the governorship in 2017 before contesting the Nairobi Senate seat in 2022 on a United Democratic Alliance ticket, having initially eyed the governorship that year before withdrawing in favour of Johnson Sakaja.

She served as chairperson of the Nairobi Rivers Commission from October 2024 until the end of August 2026, and days after stepping down declared her renewed gubernatorial bid on the Kenya Moja Movement Party ticket.

She argued that Nairobi needs a firm and decisive leader who can serve residents without compromising on principle.

"Nairobi needs someone with a spirit of servanthood and someone who is not afraid to get their hands dirty. But Nairobi also needs a leader who is firm in their principles and unwilling to compromise," she explained.

She cited corruption, poor waste management, infrastructure breakdown, poor drainage, challenges in the health sector, unemployment and inadequate water supply as some of the major obstacles to the city's development.

Nairobi needs a leader who can instil discipline among residents and keep the city clean, said Wanjiru.

"If the shepherd fails, the sheep fail," she added.

She noted that Nairobi is surrounded by markets that are poorly serviced, with garbage often left uncollected and drainage trenches left unattended, affecting cleanliness in the Central Business District and posing a health risk to residents and visitors.

"There are young people volunteering to collect garbage, but the problem is with the collection system. If you bring a truck to collect the garbage, you can be arrested because you need authorisation from the relevant authorities," she observed.

She also identified the transportation of garbage as another challenge that needs to be addressed.

Cleanliness is closely linked to access to water, explained Wanjiru, arguing that residents cannot maintain proper hygiene when water is unavailable.

"Cleanliness is tied to access to water. If water is not flowing from the taps, no matter how much we tell people to keep clean, it will be impossible to achieve," said Wanjiru.

She attributed some of the water challenges to an ageing pipe network and maintained that the county needs a system that expands water distribution across Nairobi.

Nairobi remains Kenya's economic powerhouse and generates significant revenue, noted Wanjiru, arguing that the city has enough resources to transform itself.

"Nairobi is very rich and there is enough money to transform the city," she said.

She argued that the city needs a leader who can prioritise the needs of residents, seal corruption loopholes and ensure services are delivered.

"That's why we need a woman who can divide the cake and everybody gets their share," she added.

The next governor must also work closely with Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), who understand the challenges facing residents in their respective wards, noted Wanjiru.

She called for greater accountability and transparency from both county leaders and the public.