President William Ruto is set to address the Nairobi County Assembly on April 9, marking the first time a sitting Head of State will speak before a county assembly since the introduction of devolution under the 2010 Constitution.
The invitation, extended by Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), has been confirmed through correspondence from Chief of Staff Felix Koskei to Nairobi Speaker Ken Ng’ondi.
The address is scheduled for 2:30 pm at the Assembly Chambers in City Hall, Nairobi.
The event is being described as historic because Kenyan presidents have traditionally limited formal addresses to Parliament, as outlined in Article 132 of the Constitution, which requires the Head of State to address the National Assembly and Senate during official sittings.
A letter dated March 23, 2026, indicates that the President’s office has already confirmed the engagement and requested briefing materials ahead of the address.
Since devolution began 16 years ago, no Head of State has addressed any of Kenya’s 47 county assemblies, making this occasion unprecedented in the country’s political history.
Under Section 30(2)(k) of the County Governments Act, governors are required to address their county assemblies at least once a year, but there is no equivalent requirement for the President to do so.
Nairobi County Assembly Clerk Edward Gichana welcomed the development, describing it as a milestone for devolution and intergovernmental relations.
He added that preparations are underway to ensure proper protocol, with a committee chaired by the Speaker finalizing arrangements for the historic session.
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