By Shadrack Nyakoe
The Nairobi City County Government is set to begin construction of a Sh290 million official residence for the Nairobi Governor, a plan confirmed by Acting County Secretary Geoffrey Akumali and Priscilla Mahindra, Chief of Staff in the Governor’s office. The project, located in Kilimani, will also involve compensating 12 families residing on county-owned land allocated for the residence, with each family set to receive Ksh50,000.
According to Akumali, Nairobi is behind schedule on building the official governor’s residence, a requirement under devolution law. “This is something that should have been completed long ago,” he noted. Groundbreaking for the construction has already taken place, and the contractor is expected to start work by month-end.
Originally budgeted at Ksh500 million, the cost was reduced to Ksh290 million after Governor Sakaja declined the higher expense. So far, Ksh60 million has been allocated, with the project aimed for completion by April.
Committee Chairman Jared Akama highlighted the importance of the residence to avoid audit issues. “This is a legal requirement, and Nairobi has fallen behind on it. Our focus is on clearing audit queries,” he explained.
Additionally, there are plans for Governor Sakaja to secure office space in the CBK Pension Towers due to limited space at City Hall. Priscilla Mahindra emphasized the need for a balance between administrative duties and meeting the public. However, Akama expressed concerns that relocating may create a barrier between the governor and the public, as Sakaja currently uses Riverside offices for non-official meetings.