Former Nairobi City County Chief Officer Geoffrey Mosiria says he endured a difficult working environment at City Hall, where he felt his efforts to serve residents were frustrated, even as he remained committed to his responsibilities.
Mosiria was replaced by Zipporah Njeri Mwangi in an acting capacity as Chief Officer for Public Participation, Citizen Engagement and Customer Service in the latest administrative changes announced by Governor Johnson Sakaja.
The former chief officer has now indicated that he is ready to seek the Nairobi governor’s seat, saying his experiences in the county administration have strengthened his desire to improve service delivery.
Without directly naming individuals he considers responsible for the challenges he experienced, Mosiria described a period in which his responsibilities changed significantly, and his efforts to address work-related concerns did not produce the outcome he had hoped for.
He said his duties were restructured in December 2023, when his mandate as an accounting officer was transferred to junior officers.
Mosiria also said the budget for the health department under his watch was reduced from Sh1.2 billion to Sh100 million, a change he said affected the scope of work he could undertake.
He further recalled navigating procurement processes and other administrative responsibilities during his tenure.
Mosiria said he was subsequently transferred to the Environment department, where his role differed from his previous assignment.
He said he chose to remain active in field operations and engage with residents rather than limit his work to office duties.
“I chose to go to the ground and continue working for Nairobi residents rather than sit in the office doing nothing,” Mosiria said.
He also reflected on the public scrutiny he experienced, including discussions in official WhatsApp groups, public criticism and a court case over alleged contempt of court.
Mosiria was later moved to the customer service department, where his responsibilities included public participation, citizen engagement and customer service.
He said he remained committed to serving Nairobi residents despite the changes to his role, maintaining that his priority was public service.
He said his last meeting with the governor concerning his work-related concerns was in December 2023 and that he continued seeking ways to address the issues.
“Despite everything, I never gave up on Nairobi. Today, I am humbled that Nairobi residents are calling upon me to serve them as their governor,” he said.
Mosiria said his experience in county government had shaped his perspective on leadership and strengthened his interest in the governor’s position.
“My desire has never been to fight anyone; it has always been to fix the systems and serve the people of Nairobi,” he said.
He added that his focus remained on improving service delivery and ensuring residents’ concerns receive attention.
Mosiria also mentioned receiving information about a possible court case involving him but did not provide further details.
