Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has pledged to rename a street in the city after the Friends Church (Quakers), following a service at a branch in Donholm on Sunday, April 23, 2023. The governor stated that he had narrowed down to the road adjacent to the church and that renaming it would adhere to county laws. Sakaja threw a thinly-veiled jab at the Central Organisation for Trade Unions Kenya (COTU-K) Secretary General, Francis Atwoli, claiming that he named a road after himself in 2022, which was removed and remounted several times. The governor assured the public that he would ensure the correct procedure was followed.
During the same event, Sakaja addressed the garbage menace in the city and disclosed plans to convert the Dandora dumpsite into a power plant, targeting a production of 45 megawatts of power within 30 days. The County Assembly had also approved a budget to hire 3,500 sweepers, buy lorries, and refuse compactors.
The governor dismissed claims that the revenue collection in Nairobi had dropped during the second quarter of the 2022/23 financial year, stating that the city had increased its revenue by Ksh673 million in three months between January and March 2023, compared to the same period in 2022. Sakaja attributed the growth to the digitisation of government services pushed by President William Ruto’s administration.
Speaking at the church event in Donholm, President Ruto announced plans to deduct 3% of government employees’ salaries to facilitate the Housing Fund, which would aid Kenyans in accessing affordable housing. The president was accompanied by Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi and Governor Johnson Sakaja.
The announcement by Sakaja to rename a street after the Friends Church (Quakers) comes at a time when the county is intensifying efforts to improve infrastructure in the city. The move is also a recognition of the significant role played by the Quakers in the history of Kenya. The renaming of the road would serve as a symbol of the county’s commitment to honor and preserve the city’s heritage.
