When Governor Johnson Sakaja took office, he promised to uplift workers by converting casuals into permanent employees and rewarding campaign allies with county jobs.
That populist move boosted his image but came at a steep cost.
The Auditor General’s report shows that staff numbers nearly tripled within two years, ballooning the wage bill by 188%. Yet services on the ground like garbage collection, health services, licensing have deteriorated.
For many Nairobians, it feels like more employees on paper has meant less delivery on the streets.
Insiders argue that the hiring spree was less about service and more about patronage, with political loyalty rewarded over efficiency.
This fuels questions about whether Nairobi’s bloated workforce is sustainable, or if taxpayers are simply bankrolling ghost workers and political favors.
The crisis also exposes the fragility of Sakaja’s leadership. His impeachment bid was not just about garbage or payroll; it reflected a power struggle over who controls the spoils of Nairobi.
President Ruto and Raila Odinga may have rescued him once, but as workers down tools and services crumble, Sakaja will have to prove he can lead beyond political survival.
Meanwhile, here are news stories making headlines on Opera News today;
Ruto, Raila’s Bold Move to Save Sakaja Land them in Deep Trouble as Senators Make Major Announcement
President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga’s intervention to shield Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja from mounting political pressure has sparked a fresh storm in the Senate, with lawmakers warning that their actions undermine accountability and the rule of law.
A brewing constitutional crisis in Nairobi has escalated as senators accuse Governor Johnson Sakaja of growing “arrogant” due to the protective shield provided by President William Ruto and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga.
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Gloria Orwoba Bows Out: Why the Ex-Senator Abruptly Dropped Her Battle to Reclaim Senate Seat
Former nominated senator Gloria Orwoba has officially withdrawn her petition challenging her removal from the Senate. The case, which was filed against UDA, the Senate, and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), has now been brought to a close.
Orwoba had moved to the Milimani Constitutional and Human Rights Division seeking to overturn a Gazette Notice declaring her Senate seat vacant. She hoped the court would quash the notice and reinstate her to her position.
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Make chang’aa legal and safe, Siaya chief tells Murkomen
A Siaya assistant chief has asked the government to review its policy on prohibition of chan’gaa as an illicit brew and instead introduce regulations that would allow its safe production and consumption.
Nicholas Mudaho, the assistant chief for Maliera sub-location in Gem subcounty, said that despite the government’s punitive penal approach of curbing the production and sale of the illicit brew, 60 per cent of liquor in the country still remains illicit.
By Nairobi