Kileleshwa Member of County Assembly Robert Alai has clapped back at President William Ruto after he decried the derelict state of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi City.
In a long post on his official Facebook account on Monday, October 13, 2025, Alai revealed some challenges that hinder Nairobi County development while disregarding past remarks of the city lacking funds.
“I disagree with the President. The problem with Nairobi isn’t a lack of money. It has never been a lack of money. Nairobi generates enough revenue to fund not only its operations but also to loan to other counties within the metropolis,” Alai said.
According to the Kileleshwa MCA, Nairobi’s main problem is the dominance of political parties and the belief that it is a going concern that should be exploited quickly, as everyone belongs elsewhere and not in Nairobi.
“Nairobi’s main problem is the dominance of political parties and the belief that it is a going concern that should be exploited quickly, as everyone belongs elsewhere and not in Nairobi. We don’t treat Nairobi as the special city it is to the country,” he added.
Nairobi leadership proposal
Alai further revealed that “Nairobi lacks dedicated and visionary leadership. It doesn’t need the panga-wielding cocaine or even the pouch-tobacco addicts who now manage it.”
On his part, Nairobi needs someone who can visualise the city in the next 100 years, understand its cosmopolitan composition, and recognise that it can’t be treated as an ethnic enclave.
“Nairobi needs someone who can visualise the city in the next 100 years, understand its cosmopolitan composition, and recognise that it can’t be treated as an ethnic enclave or trophy that the Luos, Luhyas, Kikuyu, Maasai, or any ethnic community must conquer and dominate at the exclusion of everyone else,” Alai stated.
In addition, Alai argued that to avoid the ethnic issue affecting Nairobi County leadership, Nairobi should be led by someone who can run the United Nations.
“The Nairobi governor MUST be someone who can run the United Nations. Must be someone who can sit in the cabinet and provide clarity of vision and policy away from the ethnicized mindset common in our politics,” he revealed.
Ruto’s remarks on ‘filth’ in Nairobi
President William Ruto has announced a joint plan between the national and Nairobi County governments to restore the capital’s image.
“Nairobi cannot continue to be a city in filth. We have started cleaning the Nairobi River, and now we are in the final stages of signing an agreement with the private sector on how we are going to clean this city,” he said.
“We must not have mud along our roads. This city will have streetlights so that we make sure that Nairobi is clean and becomes motorable and a city in the light, not in darkness. I have committed that the national government will provide resources.”
