By The Weekly Vision Reporter
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has announced a sweeping reshuffle affecting ten County Chief Officers in what appears to be one of the boldest internal reorganisations since he took office. The changes, communicated through an official memo dated 18th November 2025, take immediate effect.
According to the notice issued by the Office of the Governor, the reassignments have been made under Section 45(5) of the County Government Act, 2012, which empowers the governor to move County Chief Officers as necessary. City Hall insiders describe the shake-up as a strategic realignment aimed at sharpening service delivery and repositioning key departments to support the administration’s shifting priorities.
Among the most notable shifts is the transfer of Geoffrey Mosiria from the influential Environment docket to the less politically sensitive Citizen Engagement and Customer Service department. Mosiria had emerged as one of the most assertive enforcement officers in the county, leading crackdowns on noise pollution, illegal structures, non-compliant nightclubs, and unlicensed waste handlers. While his tough enforcement style won him support from residents frustrated by disorder, it also generated sharp resistance from business owners who accused him of unfairly targeting their establishments.
The notice outlines the following reassignments:
- Godfrey Akumali moves from Business and Hustler Opportunities to Housing and Urban Renewal.
- Tony Michael Kimani remains in Social Services, now expanded to include Estate Management.
- Lydia Mathia shifts from Housing and Urban Renewal to Business and Hustler Opportunities.
- Hibrahim Otieno leaves Medical Facilities to head the Environment docket.
- Sande Oyolo transitions from Digital Economy and Start-ups to Medical Facilities.
- Wilson Gakuya moves from Smart Nairobi to Digital Economy and Start-ups.
- Dr Machel Waikenda retains Mobility, now broadened to include Agricultural ICT Infrastructure.
- Clement Rapudo moves from City Culture, Arts and Tourism to Smart Nairobi.
- Zipporah Mwangi shifts from Citizen Engagement and Customer Service to City Culture, Arts, and Tourism.
Speculation around Mosiria’s reassignment has intensified, with insiders claiming that influential Somali business operators may have played a decisive role in pushing for his removal from the Environment department. Many of these business owners run entertainment venues and commercial properties in areas such as Kilimani, Eastleigh, and South C, sectors that felt the direct impact of his enforcement drives. His high-profile raid on a Somali-owned restaurant and nightspot last year, officially presented as a noise-pollution enforcement action, was viewed by some within the community as selective, heavy-handed, and harmful to thriving businesses. Sustained lobbying from these powerful networks, keen to shield their investments from what they considered excessive enforcement, is believed to have exerted political pressure that contributed to Mosiria’s redeployment.
Governor Sakaja signed off on the memo, insisting that the changes were necessary to “make Nairobi work,” echoing his administration’s mantra. Observers now await to see how the revamped team will perform in their new roles, particularly in service areas where Nairobi residents have consistently demanded faster and more accountable action.
