Nairobi, July 16 -- Nairobi County posting Sh15 billion in own-source revenue is no small achievement. Put in perspective, it is nearly equivalent to its equitable share of national revenue, which stands at Sh22 billion.

The milestone is hardly surprising. Nairobi is Kenya's commercial hub, the seat of government and the country's largest economic engine. Some analysts argue that Sh15 billion still falls below the city's true revenue potential, and they may be right. Even so, Governor Johnson Sakaja's administration deserves credit for reversing years of underperformance.

Not long ago, Nairobi's own-source revenue fluctuated between Sh3 billion and Sh7 billion a year. Huge leakages, weak enforcement and manual systems denied the county ...