At a high-energy town hall in Riruta/Satellite Ward, the youth of Nairobi sent a clear message to leadership: the current city governance model requires urgent reform.
Organised by Mtetezi, the Grassroots Economic Justice Movement, the forum served as a platform for young residents to address systemic failures, from chronic flooding to the frequent collapse of unregulated buildings.
The centrepiece of the discussion was a shift in administrative structure. A dominant 68% of participants advocated for Nairobi to become a metropolitan special city, arguing that such a move would streamline infrastructure development and reduce the friction between national and county mandates.
Others proposed a hybrid system to maintain local accountability, while a smaller group called for stricter enforcement of existing laws rather than a total structural overhaul.
Despite these differing views, a singular frustration united the room: over-politicisation. Participants noted that endless cycles of political theatre between the executive and the assembly have stalled essential services like drainage and transport coordination.
As Mtetezi prepares to take these forums across the city, the Riruta engagement has set a firm precedent: Nairobi’s future must be defined by professional continuity and the meaningful inclusion of its youth.
