Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has called for a review of the rural electrification levy, urging that funds collected from the capital be redirected to improve street lighting and urban security.
Appearing before the Senate Committee on Devolution on Monday, November 24, Sakaja revealed that Nairobi residents collectively pay Ksh8 billion annually in electricity bills, a portion of which goes toward rural electrification an area he argued the city does not directly benefit from.
“Nairobians pay Sh8 billion in power bills, yet these bills include a Rural Electrification charge. We have begun conversations to ensure Nairobi is considered so that part of this money can be used to light our streets for security,” Sakaja told senators.
He explained that the county is currently implementing a citywide lighting program, but progress could accelerate if Nairobi received a fairer share of electricity-related levies. The Governor also highlighted the county’s fiscal performance, noting that Nairobi had reduced its inherited pending bills from Sh118 billion to Sh86 billion over three years. Sh16 billion of these bills originated from the dissolved Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), which received Sh27 billion for development but left projects incomplete.
Sakaja further emphasized efforts to improve revenue collection, including digitizing platforms and transitioning to a single business permit system. These reforms have boosted Nairobi’s own-source revenue to Sh13.8 billion this year, up from Sh10.8 billion when he took office.
The Governor also reported ongoing investments in markets, stadiums, ECDE centres, and road projects across all 85 wards, including Sh2.1 billion in partnership with the national government.
Criticizing the national road-funding formula, Sakaja argued that counties, which manage 70% of the road network, receive disproportionately low funding. “If counties have 70% of the roads, then they should get about 70% of the funds,” he stated, urging the Senate to pursue reforms for equitable infrastructure financing.
Sakaja concluded that securing fair funding for both electricity and roads would accelerate service delivery and enable Nairobi to meet its growing infrastructure needs.
