Ol Kalou UDA Candidate Samuel Muchina Lands New Government Job After Election Loss

President William Ruto has appointed Samuel Muchina Nyaga to the Nairobi Rivers Commission, replacing Amos Chege Mugo. 

The appointment was announced in a Special Gazette Notice dated 22 July.

Nyaga, who contested the Ol Kalou by-election on the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket but lost to Democracy for Citizens Party candidate Sammy Douglas Kamau, has been given a role on the commission responsible for restoring Nairobi's rivers. The appointment keeps him in government despite his electoral defeat.

The Nairobi Rivers Commission is responsible for restoring and protecting the city's waterways while supporting the development of a sustainable green-blue corridor. Nyaga will help coordinate the work of government agencies, county authorities, civil society organisations and private sector partners involved in the programme.

His responsibilities will also include overseeing restoration projects, promoting compliance with environmental regulations and encouraging public participation in conservation efforts. The commission is also working to establish a Trust Fund to provide long-term financing for river restoration projects. 

The fund is intended to ensure that the programme continues beyond short-term government priorities. Speaking after visiting State House on the day of his appointment, Nyaga said President Ruto had instructed him to oversee development projects launched during the Ol Kalou campaign. 

He said these include electrification at 36 sites, housing for vulnerable families, borehole projects in every ward, upgrades to JM Hospital, and improvements to university, stadium and road infrastructure. Nyaga said the projects were intended to benefit residents rather than serve political interests, adding that the government would continue implementing its commitments despite the outcome of the by-election.

The appointment places Nyaga at the centre of one of the government's major urban restoration programmes while keeping him involved in public service after his election loss.