- President William Ruto appointed Nelson Marwa as the new Nairobi Rivers Commission chairperson through Gazette Notice No. 16248 dated October 16, 2026
- Marwa, a former Devolution Principal Secretary and Coast Regional Commissioner, will serve a three-year term starting October 16, 2026
- The gazette notice formally revoked the appointment of Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, who had already submitted a resignation notice in August 2026
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President William Ruto has named Nelson Marwa as the new chairperson of the Nairobi Rivers Commission, replacing Bishop Margaret Wanjiru, who had held the post since late 2024.
Source: Facebook
The appointment was formalised through Gazette Notice No. 16248, dated October 16, 2026, and issued under Article 131 of the Constitution as read together with Section 51(1) of the Interpretation and General Provisions Act.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 131 of the Constitution, as read with section 51 (1) of the Interpretation and General Provisions Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint Nelson Marwa to be the Chairperson of the Nairobi Rivers Commission, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 16th October, 2026. The appointment of Margaret Wanjiru is revoked," the gazette notice reads.
Who Is Nelson Marwa?
Marwa brings extensive public service experience to the role.
He previously served as the Devolution Principal Secretary and as the Coast regional commissioner.
His three-year tenure at the commission will see him oversee multi-sectoral efforts to rehabilitate the Nairobi River Basin, which spans five counties: Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado, Machakos, and Makueni.
Bishop Wanjiru's exit from the commission
Bishop Wanjiru, the presiding bishop of Jesus Is Alive Ministries (JIAM) and a prominent Nairobi politician and televangelist, was appointed to chair the commission in October 2024, at a time when the agency was being brought under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development.
Before the gazette notice formally revoked her appointment, Wanjiru had already indicated her intention to leave. In August 2026, she submitted a 30-day resignation notice to Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, citing a desire to focus on other commitments.
Who else was appointed?
Marwa's appointment follows a broader pattern of changes at the commission.
Earlier in 2026, President Ruto had appointed Samuel Muchina, a former United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, to the commission.
That appointment came alongside the revocation of Amos Chege Mugo's term at the agency.
The Nairobi Rivers Commission was established to coordinate restoration efforts across the Nairobi River Basin, addressing decades of pollution and encroachment that have severely degraded the waterways running through and around the capital.
Source: TUKO.co.ke