A viral document claiming to be an executive order has been making rounds on social media, alleging that the government led by President William Ruto is planning to relocate Kenya’s capital city from Nairobi to Nakuru.
The purported executive order, dated Friday, December 13, bears what appears to be President Ruto’s signature.
Part of the alleged order, shared on social media platform X, reads:
“Now, therefore, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statute Laws of Kenya, hereby order and direct:
“That the Capital City and Headquarters of the Government of Kenya shall be relocated from Nairobi City County to Nakuru County as set out in this Executive Order.
“That this Order supersedes Executive Order No. 6 of 1907 issued on the 3rd day of June 1907.”
Claims in Fake Executive Order
The document also claims that a National Transition Executive Taskforce has been constituted to oversee the process. According to the purported order, the task force members include DP Kithure Kindiki, Governor Johnson Sakaja, Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika, Treasury CS John Mbadi, and Sports CS Kipchumba Murkomen.
Other names listed are Lands CS Alice Wahome, Senior Advisor David Ndii, Transport CS Davis Chirchir, former Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui, Henry Ogoye, Peter Njenga, and former Cabinet Secretaries Raphael Tuju and Fred Matiang’i.
The fake document also claimed that all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) would immediately establish transition committees tasked with facilitating the smooth relocation of their headquarters from Nairobi to Nakuru.
According to the fabricated order, these committees were to be chaired by the respective Permanent Secretaries and include heads of the MDAs, as well as key stakeholders necessary for the relocation process.
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Truth Behind Kenya Moving Capital City from Nairobi to Nakuru
However, a fact-check by The Kenya Times has revealed that the alleged executive order is fake.
The information does not originate from the Office of the President, and no such directive has been issued.
It was revealed that the said document was also a duplication of Executive Order No. 2 of 2023 on the Organization of the Government of the Republic of Kenya.
The only change in the fake document was the direction (THAT), which claimed the relocation of the capital from Nairobi to Nakuru and the superseding of the Executive Order of 1907.
However, a red flag raised in the verification process was that the rest of the order was essentially a duplicate of Executive Order No. 2 of 2023, with the only significant alteration being the mention of the capital relocation.
This duplication further indicated that the document was not authentic, as it mirrored official content but contained fabricated claims regarding the capital’s move.
The genuine Executive Order No. 2 of 2023 emphasized the need for a review and reorganization of the government to introduce operational enhancements and functional changes aimed at optimizing performance across Ministries, State Departments, State Agencies, and Kenya’s Foreign Service.
It also outlined key offices within the Executive branch of government, including the Office of the President, the Office of the Deputy President, various Ministries, State Departments, and State Institutions.
The order detailed their respective functions, highlighting the roles and responsibilities of each office or institution in the governance structure.
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Moving a Capital City
Nairobi became the capital of Kenya during the British colonial period in 1905, chosen for its strategic location and favourable climate.
This decision was later formalized under the Kenya Independence Constitution in 1963, marking Nairobi as the nation’s political and administrative hub.
A capital city must provide the necessary infrastructure to sustain key functions that are essential for national development such as serving as the seat of the national government and housing offices for diplomatic missions.
It also includes ensuring an efficient transport network that connects rural areas, towns, and other local, regional, and international cities and supports commerce and industry.
The move to relocate the Capital City also demands amendments to the Constitution, as Nairobi is currently designated as the capital city under Article 6(1).
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