Embakasi North Member of Parliament James Gakuya has confidently dismissed any likelihood of the Nairobi County Assembly impeaching Governor Johnson Sakaja.
He emphasized that President William Ruto has initiated a partnership between the national government and Nairobi County, a strategic move designed to protect Governor Sakaja from potential impeachment.
In a morning interview on Kameme TV on February 18, 2026, Gakuya pointed out that the Nairobi County government’s services are currently facing significant challenges, which previously placed Governor Sakaja at risk of impeachment by the Members of the County Assembly (MCAs). He articulated that the newly forged alliance between the two levels of government aims to safeguard Sakaja’s position.
“The services within Nairobi County are indeed struggling. However, the prospect of impeaching Sakaja before 2027 is highly unlikely, as President Ruto’s approach is intended to rescue him from such a fate; consequently, any impeachment efforts are essentially futile,” Gakuya stated.
These remarks come just hours after Governor Sakaja signed a cooperation agreement with President Ruto at State House, Nairobi, a development that has raised concerns among political leaders. Critics argue that this deal could potentially threaten county autonomy and the principles of devolution enshrined in the Constitution.
The agreement outlines collaborative efforts in key areas, including waste management, infrastructure, market operations, housing, and water services.
In September 2025, Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai led an impeachment motion against Governor Sakaja, citing over 20 allegations, such as mismanagement of county services, deteriorating infrastructure, inadequate waste collection, and the controversial privatization of public health functions.
Despite these serious charges, Governor Sakaja successfully navigated the impeachment motion thanks to interventions from President Ruto and the late Raila Odinga, former leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). This political alliance between Ruto and Raila effectively shielded Sakaja from a potentially damaging ouster by the Nairobi MCAs, and it appears that President Ruto continues to bolster the UDA governor’s position through this recent collaboration.
