Kenya – Igathe, Sakaja promise better services for Nairobians if elected

By Kiilu Damaris

The plans are featured in their recently launched manifestos.

Despite the race having attracted seven other candidates, Sakaja and Igathe have emerged as top contestants.

In education, the two pledged to introduce a school feeding programme for all public primary schools.

Sakaja has committed to building and equipping vocational training centres which will be transformed into technical and skills hubs.

He promised to set up 17 centres for children with special needs and community libraries

Igathe said his government will partner with the national government and construct five secondary schools in all 85 subcounties.

He said he will add five ECD schools per ward.

In his manifesto, Sakaja has pledged to construct 20 new markets across Nairobi to promote traders and decongest Gikomba and Wakulima, to provide an easy environment for doing business.

Gikomba has been prone to perennial fires which have cost traders loss of property worth millions, pushing some to unemployment.

Other markets are Toi and Kangemi.

Igathe said he will build 150 new modern markets.

Nairobi has 47 public markets which Igathe says are run-down and poorly maintained.

To create an enabling business environment, Sakaja has promised to initiate Sh50 million biashara fund per year for each of the 85 wards to facilitate small businesses.

“Nairobi’s budget is more than Sh35 billion every year and it cannot be impossible to allocate some of this money to promote small traders in the spirit of the UDA bottom-up philosophy,” he said

Igathe said will establish a Sh850 million ‘Wezesha Biashara’ credit guarantee fund for youth and women.

Both candidates pledged to introduce a single universal business permit which will prevent the need of having multiple licences and subsequently eliminate the hurdles of doing business.

Sakaja said they will deal decisively and immediately with corruption, mismanagement, waste, and under-performance at City Hall.

Igathe said he will digitise service delivery and ensure timely payment of salaries, allowances and benefits for City Hall workers.

To reduce matatu congestion, Igathe said he will designate pick-up and drop-off zones for PSVs throughout the county, similar to what NMS under its director general, Mohamed Badi has done.

Badi engineered the construction of termini including the Green Park Bus terminus near Old Railway, Fig Tree in Ngara, Bunyala and Workshop Road and Muthurwa and a proposed Globe Cinema Roundabout terminus.

Igathe’s manifesto touching on transport includes facilitating and fast-tracking the Metropolitan Commuter Rail Ring.

This includes connecting all the transit lines (cycling, bus and commuter rail) in the city.

Sakaja is banking to introduce a city metro commuter light rail, a safe and reliable infrastructure for non-vehicular transport.

He said he will leverage an infrastructure bond to fund such development.