Test Jabari Ongoro Dev

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Manifesto

Economy, Education, Health, Infrastructure & Governance — five pillars to transform Nairobi into a world-class, people-first county.

Career & History

Biography

Hon. Test Jabari Ongoro Dev is a transformative leader with over 18 years of combined experience in public administration, economic policy, and grassroots mobilisation. A proud Nairobian, he holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Economics from Maseno University. He served as Deputy Director of County Planning under the Nairobi City County Government and spearheaded the Nairobi Integrated Urban Development Master Plan. Known for his zero-tolerance stance on corruption, his open-door governance model, and his track record of delivering tangible development projects, he is widely regarded as the ideal candidate to take Nairobi to the next level.

People-First Governance Integrity Inclusion Impact

Languages

English Kiswahili Dholuo

Interests

Reading Community Service Football Debate

Education Background

Master of Public Policy — Public Administration & Governance

University of Nairobi • 2010–2012

Graduated with First Class Honours. Thesis: "Devolution, Fiscal Autonomy and Service Delivery in Urban Counties."

Bachelor of Economics — Economics & Statistics

Maseno University • 2000–2004

Graduated Second Class Upper Division. Active in the university debate and student government.

Political History

Member of County Assembly — Westlands Ward

Orange Democratic Movement • 2017–2022 • 2017 — Won

Elected MCA on an independent ticket. Chaired the Finance & Appropriations Committee and the Development Projects Oversight Committee.

Achievements

Secured KES 80M supplementary allocation for Westlands roads
Lobbied for Westlands ECDE centre construction

Shortcomings

Ward boundary rationalisation bill failed due to political opposition

Gubernatorial Candidate — Nairobi County

Orange Democratic Movement • 2022–2022 • 2022 — Runner-up

Ran for governor under the ODM ticket, campaigning across all 17 constituencies with a focus on urban renewal and youth employment.

Achievements

Garnered 412,000 votes (42%)
Highest youth voter turnout in Nairobi gubernatorial history

Shortcomings

Insufficient campaign financing limited ground operations in low-income areas in the final two weeks

Public Service

Board Trustee

Nairobi Urban Renewal Trust • 2018–2023

Oversaw KES 450 million in grant disbursements for informal settlement upgrading across 12 wards.

President

Rotary Club of Nairobi Central • 2020–2022

Led 120 members; mobilised KES 12 million for bursary, clean-water, and sanitation projects in Mathare and Kibera.

Career Experience

Deputy Director, County Planning · Full-time

Nairobi City County Government — Nairobi, Kenya • 2017–2022

Led spatial planning, housing policy, and co-ordinated the NIUPLAN review involving 42 technical officers and a KES 900M budget.

Policy Research Analyst · Full-time

Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) — Nairobi, Kenya • 2013–2016

Conducted macro-economic and fiscal policy research to inform national budget statements. Published 6 peer-reviewed papers on devolution finance.

Political Experience

Positions Held

Deputy Director, County Planning

Nairobi City County Government • 2017–2022 • Appointed

Non-partisan (Civil Service)

Chairperson, Nairobi Development Committee

Nairobi City County Assembly • 2013–2017 • Elected

Independent

Electoral Performance

Year	Seat / Position	Seats Won	Vote Share	Outcome
2022	Governor — Nairobi County	–	42%	Lost
2017	MCA — Westlands Ward, Nairobi	1	52%	Won

Legislative & Policy Contributions

Bills/Policies: County Urban Areas and Cities (Amendment) Bill 2020 — streamlined informal settlement upgrading and established a dedicated county housing fund.

Voting Record: Sponsored the 2019 Nairobi Revenue Enhancement Motion, which raised own-source revenue 34% via digital payments; consistently voted for public-participation and transparency motions.

Committees: Finance & Appropriations Committee (Chair), Development Projects Oversight Committee

Executive & Administrative Roles

Nairobi City County Government — Directorate of County Planning (Deputy Director, 2017–2022)

Co-ordinated the Nairobi Integrated Urban Development Master Plan (NIUPLAN) review; managed 42 planning officers and a KES 900M capital budget.

Cut development-approval turnaround from 90 to 21 days and digitised the county construction permit system.

Political Affiliations

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) 2012–Present · Member

Independent 2017–2017 · Independent Candidate (2017 MCA race)

Public Engagement & Advocacy

Nairobi Infrastructure Forum 2024 — Town Hall

Hosted a 3,000-person town hall on road and sewer rehabilitation with live county TV broadcast.

Ongoro Dev Youth Coding Bootcamp — Initiative

Personally funded 3-month coding bootcamp for 200 youth from informal settlements with guaranteed internship placements.

Notable Controversies

Land Allocation Allegation — 2021

A lobby group alleged improper land allocation during the master plan review. EACC investigated and fully cleared him.

Resolution: Cleared by EACC — September 2021

Source →

On the Issues

Nairobi Youth Employment & Tech Hub Initiative

KES 5 billion two-year programme creating 200,000 jobs through tech hubs, SME funding, and private-sector partnerships.

A county-backed programme to create 200,000 jobs within two years by establishing 5 technology hubs across Nairobi sub-counties and partnering with 50 SMEs.

Vision

A Nairobi where every young person has a dignified livelihood opportunity within their own county.

Mission

Leverage county resources and private partnerships to turn talent into employment at scale.

Establish 5 publicly funded innovation hubs in Eastlands, Westlands, South B, Kibera and Kasarani.

Provide KES 2 billion county SME revolving fund with zero-interest loans for youth-led businesses.

Negotiate employment guarantees with 50 private-sector partners.

Free 3-month skills bootcamps in coding, welding, construction and tailoring.

How they plan to deliver

Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework for hub construction and management.
County budget reallocation — 15% of development budget to youth employment.
Biannual job fairs co-hosted with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance.
Digital tracking dashboard for job creation metrics updated monthly.

Universal Healthcare Supplement for Nairobi

County UHC supplement programme guaranteeing free primary and secondary care for all residents, backed by 500 CHWs and 24-hour ward facilities.

A county UHC top-up programme ensuring every Nairobi resident can access primary and secondary healthcare at zero cost, complementing the national UHC scheme.

Vision

No Nairobian should die from a preventable disease for lack of money or proximity to a health facility.

Mission

Deliver comprehensive, equitable, and dignified healthcare to all residents through an integrated county-national UHC model.

Equip every ward with a fully staffed 24-hour primary health facility.

Recruit 500 community health workers — one per 200 households.

Provide free maternal care, childhood immunisations, and chronic disease management.

Establish a county medical supply chain to eliminate drug stock-outs.

How they plan to deliver

Partner with the Ministry of Health to align county and national UHC benefits packages.
Float a county health bond to raise KES 3 billion for facility construction and equipment.
Introduce a community health insurance co-pay model for formal-sector workers.
Digitalise patient records using the national DHIS2 system.

Endorsements & Support

Nairobi Business Community Alliance

Organization

“The Nairobi Business Community Alliance — representing over 4,000 businesses — endorses Test Ongoro Dev for Governor. His economic track record, clear SME policy, and transparent governance style give business the certainty it needs to invest and create jobs in our county.”

Bishop Elias Mutura — Nairobi Interfaith Council

Religious Leader

“After extensive deliberation, the Nairobi Interfaith Council endorses Test Ongoro Dev as a person of demonstrable integrity and compassion. His commitment to the marginalised and his clean public record align with our values of justice and service.”

Transparency & Declarations

Asset Declaration

Candidate Manifesto

Legal & Ethical History

Total Funds Raised

KES 8,500,000

Funding Sources

Personal savings, individual grassroots donations capped at KES 100,000 per donor, and fundraising dinners.

📄 Financial Disclosure → 📄 Asset Declaration →

Tax Compliance View document → Complied

HELB Clearance View document → Complied

Party Nomination Compliance

ODM Party Clearance Certificate — January 2027

Cleared

Campaign & Media

Nairobi Infrastructure Forum — Kasarani Stadium

January 20, 2027 • Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi

View Photos View Videos View Live Stream

Kibera Youth Empowerment Town Hall

February 08, 2027 • Kibera Social Hall, Nairobi

View Photos View Videos

Contact & Connect

te•••••••••@v•••••••.dev

Phone

070•••••56

Website

https://ongoro.dev

Address

P.O. Box ••••-•••••, Nairobi, Kenya

Twitter / X Youtube Facebook Instagram

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