The Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company Board has appointed Martin Nangole as Acting Managing Director following the retirement of Eng. Nahashon Muguna, who has attained the mandatory retirement age.
The board’s decision followed a High Court ruling delivered on May 2, 2025, which blocked any extension of Muguna’s term. The court declared that his reappointment beyond December 2025 would be unlawful.
“Acknowledging that Eng. Miguna cannot serve past December 2025, Nairobi Water formally designated Nangole as Acting Managing Director to steer the company as succession plans take shape,” the board said on Friday, September 26, 2025.
In its judgment, the court noted that there was no indication Muguna possessed rare knowledge, skills, or competencies that were scarce, unique, and not readily available in the job market.
The court further directed the company to immediately commence a competitive recruitment process for a substantive managing director to ensure a smooth leadership transition.
While affirming that the board had followed due process in handling Muguna’s renewal request, the judge ruled that extending his tenure “beyond the mandatory retirement age was illegal, null, and void.”
In his new role, Nangole will oversee strategic direction across all business units, manage daily operations, and represent the company in engagements with regulators, stakeholders, and the media.
He will also be required to sign a performance contract with the Board outlining his key performance indicators.
Upon accepting the appointment, Nangole pledged to focus on service reliability and efficiency.
“This is a critical moment for Nairobi Water, and I commit to working closely with the Board, staff, and stakeholders to ensure uninterrupted service delivery to Nairobi residents,” he said.
The appointment comes as Nairobi Water continues to grapple with rising demand, aging infrastructure, and growing calls to improve the reliability of water supply to the capital’s households and businesses.
