The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has continued to signal interest in the 2027 Nairobi gubernatorial race, presenting his potential candidacy as a response to what he describes as deep-seated structural failures in the city rather than personal political ambition.
Speaking in an interview with digital media at the home of Morris Ogeta, former personal bodyguard to the late ex-Prime Minister Raila Odinga, in Uyoma, Siaya County, Kuria emphasized that the governorship is not crucial to his political survival.
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Instead, he framed his potential bid as driven by Nairobi’s urgent need for transformative leadership.
“I don’t need Nairobi, Nairobi needs me. I can survive without being governor,” he stated.
Reflecting on his failed attempt to secure the Kiambu governorship, Kuria said he is focused on governance rather than political setbacks.
“I tried to be the Governor of Kiambu, I didn’t make it. I am not worse, Kiambu is worse,” he noted.
Positioning himself as a reform-oriented technocrat, he said his aim is to rescue Nairobi, a city he described as facing systemic decay.
“I’m just trying to save Nairobi, and if Nairobi thinks they have a better person, so be it,” he added, affirming that he would respect the electorate’s choice.
Kuria painted a stark picture of the capital, insisting that incremental fixes are inadequate.
“Nairobi is in a terrible mess. Nairobi is a big slum sprinkled with few green places,” he said, calling for comprehensive restructuring rather than short-term interventions.
He suggested an unconventional solution inspired by international examples: creating a new city to decongest and modernize Nairobi.
“If I were governor, I would create a new city just like Nigeria did. Lagos could have been fixed, but they created Abuja. Nairobi requires re-engineering, not repairing,” he said.
Kuria highlighted his global exposure as a key asset, noting that his experience advising governments and multinational corporations has given him insight into what functional cities require.
“I am widely travelled. I advise big companies and governments abroad. I know what is possible and what is not possible,” he said.
Insisting that Nairobi’s challenges demand leadership with both vision and technical know-how, Kuria stated, “Only someone like me, with relevant experience, can fix it.”
Nevertheless, he stressed that his candidacy would depend on public support, striking a conciliatory tone.
“If Nairobi wants, I’m available; if they don’t, the village is waiting for me,” he said, concluding with a message of goodwill: “I wish Nairobi nothing but the very best.”
