Governor Mutahi Kahiga Lands Top East African Leadership Position After Kenya Takes Over From Uganda

Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has secured a major regional leadership position after being elected chairperson of the East African County and Local Governments Association (EACLGA) for the 2026-2028 term.

Kahiga’s election was announced during the ninth East Africa Local Governments Forum Ministerial Meeting held in Nairobi, where Kenya officially assumed leadership of the regional organisation from Uganda.

He succeeds Wilson Sanya, a former Mayor of Koboko Municipality in Uganda and president of the Urban Authorities Association of Uganda (UAAU).

The Nyeri County Government congratulated Kahiga on his election, describing the appointment as a historic achievement for the governor and the country.

The transition follows Uganda’s two-year leadership of the East Africa Local Governments Forum, which began after the 2024 Kampala Summit.

Kenya’s new leadership places it at the centre of a regional platform that brings together representatives of county and local governments from East African Community member states, including Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.

During the Nairobi meeting, Trans Nzoia Deputy Governor Philomena Bineah represented Kahiga and participated in discussions on strengthening devolution through cooperation, shared leadership and regional partnerships.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi officially opened the meeting and outlined five priorities that Kenya intends to pursue during its tenure.

The priorities include strengthening relationships between local governments and the East African Community, promoting decentralisation and improving the financial independence of local authorities.

The government also intends to expand public participation, particularly among women and young people, while strengthening institutional capacity through training and knowledge-sharing programmes.

The meeting is expected to produce the Nairobi 2026 Declaration, an organisational strategy covering 2026 to 2031 and a framework for improving the leadership capacity of local government officials.

Kahiga’s appointment comes about a year after he resigned as Vice Chairperson of the Council of Governors (CoG) in October 2025.

His departure followed public criticism over remarks he made concerning the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

The new appointment now places the Nyeri governor in a regional position that will require him to champion cooperation and stronger local governance across East Africa.

https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/129210-nyeri-governor-mutahi-kahiga-appointed-chair-east-african-local-govts-association

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