At a time when Nairobi residents are grappling with floods, strained infrastructure and growing concerns over governance at City Hall, leaders who stand firm on accountability deserve public support.
Among them is Nairobi South B Member of County Assembly (MCA) Esther Waithera Chege, whose recent push for better leadership in the capital has sparked a heated political debate.
Waithera, working alongside other MCAs such as Kileleshwa’s Robert Alai, has been at the forefront of calls for stronger oversight of the Nairobi County Executive.
Their latest move ,a fresh impeachment push against Governor Johnson Sakaja, has triggered both support and opposition within the County Assembly. Yet the debate they have ignited is one Nairobi residents cannot afford to ignore.
Nandi Senator Samson Cheragei is the latest to throw his support behind Waithera who is emerging as a fearless political force in Nairobi.
She led the revival of the impeachment process against Sakaja, citing a range of concerns about governance and accountability at City Hall.
The legislators claim to have gathered enough signatures to initiate the process and plan to table a motion outlining numerous grounds for removal from office.
According to the MCAs leading the initiative, the impeachment motion will detail more than twenty allegations touching on financial management, executive conduct and governance practices within the county administration.
Waithera has been among the most vocal leaders in this push, arguing that the Assembly has a constitutional duty to hold the executive accountable when concerns arise about the management of public resources and delivery of services.
This stance should not be dismissed as mere political rivalry. In any functioning democracy, legislative oversight is not optional — it is essential.
Indeed, tensions between the Nairobi County Assembly and the governor have been building for months.
The current impeachment push follows earlier disagreements between MCAs and the governor over development priorities and the management of county programs.
The situation has created deep divisions within the Assembly. While some MCAs support the impeachment push, others have rejected it and instead backed a Sh80 billion cooperation agreement between the national government and Nairobi County aimed at improving services and infrastructure in the capital.
But the question raised by Waithera and her allies goes beyond political alliances: Is Nairobi being governed in the best interests of its residents?
Recent events suggest that the city still faces serious governance challenges. Last week, heavy rains triggered widespread flooding across Nairobi and other parts of Kenya, killing dozens of people and disrupting transport and daily life.
The floods once again exposed long-standing problems in the city’s drainage systems and urban planning.
Experts have repeatedly warned that clogged drainage channels, rapid urbanization and poor waste management are major factors contributing to flooding in the capital.
For residents who have watched their homes submerged, businesses destroyed and roads turned into rivers, the issue of leadership at City Hall is not abstract politics.
It is about whether the county government is capable of planning, maintaining infrastructure and responding effectively to crises.
Supporters of the impeachment push argue that raising these concerns is precisely the responsibility of elected representatives like Waithera.
Critics may accuse the MCAs of engaging in political theatrics, but history shows that oversight mechanisms exist for a reason. Nairobi itself has experienced the consequences of failed leadership before.
In 2020, the Senate impeached former governor Mike Sonko after he was found guilty of abuse of office and gross misconduct, demonstrating that the system can hold leaders accountable when necessary.
Whether or not the current impeachment effort ultimately succeeds is a matter that will be determined through legal and political processes.
What should not be questioned, however, is the right and indeed, the duty of MCAs to interrogate the actions of the county executive.
In that regard, Nairobi South B MCA Esther Waithera Chege and her colleagues deserve support for insisting that leadership in Kenya’s capital must meet the highest standards of accountability.
Nairobi is not just another county. It is the country’s economic engine, diplomatic hub and home to millions of Kenyans whose livelihoods depend on a well-run city.
If leaders like Waithera are pushing for answers, transparency and better governance, then Nairobi residents should not dismiss that effort.
They should demand even more of it.
