Account for your Promises: Dagoretti North Residents Challenges 2027 MP Contenders
PHOTO: Metro Alliance Chairman Ndirangu Maina addresses the media following the Dagoretti North Citizens’ Forum in Nairobi
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 25 – Residents from across Dagoretti North Constituency met with parliamentary aspirants for the 2027 General Election to directly present their development priorities, demanding early accountability ahead of the upcoming ballot.
The inaugural ‘The Nairobi Agenda Citizens’ Forum Dagoretti North took place at Morningside Office Park on Ngong Road, Nairobi Convened by Metro Alliance a non-partisan urban governance initiative.
The gathering brought together community representatives from all five constituency wards: Kilimani, Kileleshwa, Kabiro, Gatina, and Kawangware.
Unlike traditional campaign rallies or candidate debates, the forum was deliberately structured as a citizen-led listening session.
Residents voiced localized grievances, challenging candidates on concrete solutions before seeking their votes.
Residents presented a comprehensive memorandum of priorities reflecting the socio-economic diversity of the constituency, which spans affluent neighborhoods and dense informal settlements.
Infrastructure and Drainage: Urgent rehabilitation of neighborhood road networks, improved stormwater drainage systems to prevent urban flooding, and functional street lighting.
Public Safety and Basic Services: Enhanced community security measures alongside reliable, equitable access to clean water and sanitation services.
Essential Social Services: Accessible healthcare facilities, strengthened public education infrastructure, and inclusive spaces for youth and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
Sustainable Urban Planning: Controlled development to protect green spaces, strict environmental safeguards, and structured waste management.
Governance and Participation: Transparent, accountable public service delivery and mandatory citizen participation in local governance and budget allocation processes.
Lynette Musioma a Kawangware resident raised an alarm of city’s infrastructure crisis: persistent garbage, insecurity, drug use and inadequate services in densely populated communities.
She described waste accumulation that residents say has persisted for years and linked poor waste management to concerns about hygiene, safety and the wellbeing of children and young people living nearby
Additionally, Gatina resident Nancy Luta shifted attention to youth empowerment, pressing aspirants on how they plan to tackle runaway unemployment and shield young people from drugs, alcohol, and violence.
Her concerns highlighted the sharp socio-economic split across the constituency, where rapidly developing middle-income neighborhoods border communities plagued by joblessness, poor waste management, and rising insecurity.
Escalating the discussion, 35-year Woodley resident Sam Gashago challenged the candidates on structural solutions, questioning whether Nairobi’s current municipal governance model is fundamentally equipped to resolve these persistent urban challenges.
Gashago argued that political interference has long fueled the city’s administrative struggles advocating for a shift toward greater autonomy in managing Nairobi.
“Insulating city administration from political manipulation is essential to delivering reliable public services and resolving chronic urban crises”.
Six candidates seeking to represent Dagoretti North in the National Assembly attended the forum: Alan Masakhalia, Bright Shitemi, Edwin Mawira, Mirimo Nyongesa, Robert Alai and Vincent Ombaka.
Each aspirant was allocated equal time to address the community’s demands and state to what extent they would adopt and champion these civic priorities if elected.
Speaking following the session, Ndirangu Maina, Chairman of Metro Alliance, emphasized the need to flip Kenya’s traditional political dynamic.
“The purpose of this forum was to change the usual order of political engagement. Citizens should not merely listen to candidates making promises, candidates must first listen to the people they seek to represent”, Maina stated.
“The priorities of residents must form the foundation of leadership and representation”.
Maina reiterated the convener’s neutrality, adding: “This was not an endorsement of any candidate, nor was it a campaign rally. Metro Alliance remains strictly non-partisan.”
“Our role is to provide a fair platform on which residents can be heard, aspirants can respond, and, ultimately, elected leaders can be held accountable against the commitments they make”.
Metro Alliance Vice Chair Geoff Luseno Expressed frustration over paying for non-existent public services, alliance members highlighted how fragmented community complaints previously allowed county officials to escape scrutiny.
“The alliance’s key priorities include driving sustainable, planned city growth and ensuring equal public service delivery across all neighborhoods, from affluent areas like Kitisuru and Muthaiga to informal settlements like Kibera and Mukuru”,said Luseno.
He demanded direct commitments from aspirants, reminding incoming leaders that their primary accountability belongs to the city’s residents.
The forum concluded with the signing of the Member of Parliament Accountability Pact with each aspirant committing, if elected, to listen and consult, raise residents’ concerns in national policy and legislative processes, participate in legislation and national budget and oversight processes, engage the relevant institutions, and report back to residents.
The Dagoretti North town hall marks the rollout of The Nairobi Agenda, a broader Metro Alliance initiative designed to center citizen priorities in discussions surrounding the governance, development and long-term planning of Nairobi County.
