President William Ruto has appointed former Principal Secretary Nelson Marwa as chairperson of the Nairobi Rivers Commission for three years, revoking the appointment of Bishop Margaret Wanjiru.
The appointment was published in a Gazette Notice dated Friday, October 16, and took effect on the same day.
“The President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, William Samoei Ruto, appoints Nelson Marwa to be the Chairperson of the Nairobi Rivers Commission for a period of three years, with effect from October 16, 2026,” the notice read in part.
Marwa previously served as Principal Secretary in the State Department for Devolution, having been appointed in January 2018 under former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Incoming Nairobi Rivers Commission Chairperson Nelson Marwa during a past parliamentary event.
Photo
PBU
Before joining the national government leadership, he served as Coast Regional Coordinator and Mombasa County Commissioner, where he oversaw security and administration.
His tenure at the Coast drew national attention for operations targeting drug trafficking and insecurity, as well as public disagreements with some political leaders, including the then Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho (now CS Mining).
Marwa takes charge of the commission tasked with coordinating the rehabilitation and protection of the Nairobi River Basin, which spans several counties in the metropolitan region.
His responsibilities include overseeing ecological restoration, pollution control, and efforts to improve the health of the river system.
Wanjiru was appointed commission chairperson in October 2024.
She later issued a resignation notice in August 2026, saying she intended to leave the position to pursue other engagements.
In September, the former Starehe MP declared her intention to contest the Nairobi gubernatorial seat in the 2027 General Election on the Kenya Moja Movement party ticket.
Wanjiru, who doubles up as the presiding bishop of Jesus Is Alive Ministries (JIAM), has since endorsed former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i for the presidency in the 2027 elections.
An aerial view of the Nairobi River during cleaning works in July 2026.
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MINA