According to Nairobi West MP Babu Owino, the city’s own source revenue, which should ideally empower the county government, is largely being handled by the Ministry of Interior, leaving the governor with minimal oversight.
Speaking during a recent press briefing, Owino described the situation as a very big scandal, emphasizing that while the governor can view the servers and monitor data, the actual collection of funds is controlled externally.
This, he argued, undermines the authority of the Nairobi County administration and denies residents full transparency on how their money is managed.
This is money that belongs to the people of Nairobi. Yet, the governor has merely a viewing role, while the Interior collects the money,” Owino said. “This is unacceptable and raises serious governance questions.”
The controversy stems from an ad hoc committee formed within the Nairobi County government to review the management of revenue collection.
The committee reportedly recommended that the governor face prosecution for failing to exercise proper oversight and allowing the revenue collection process to be controlled externally.
While the committee’s recommendations are yet to be formally acted upon, the allegations have sparked debate across political and civic circles.
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The National Treasury and Planning had previously established mechanisms to help counties streamline revenue collection.
However, Nairobi’s case highlights potential loopholes where oversight could be compromised, raising fears of mismanagement and corruption.
Critics argue that the centralization of revenue under the Ministry of Interior defeats the purpose of devolved governance, which is meant to empower county administrations to independently manage their resources.
The governor’s office has yet to respond publicly to the allegations, and it remains unclear if legal action will be initiated based on the committee’s findings.
Meanwhile, Nairobi residents continue to question the efficacy of their county leadership and demand greater accountability on financial matters that directly impact public services.
As the situation unfolds, political observers note that the controversy could have broader implications for devolution in Kenya, particularly around the autonomy of county governments and the mechanisms for ensuring transparency in revenue collection.
