Bahati used the advertised wedding celebration with Diana Marua to announce his political plans.
The musician used his advertised celebration with Diana Marua to launch another parliamentary campaign ahead of the 2027 election.
Musician Bahati announced his Mathare MP bid for 2027 at an event advertised as a wedding celebration. Invitations to the occasion with his longtime partner, Diana Marua, reportedly cost KSh1 million each.
Guests gathered at Nairobi’s Argyle Grand Hotel on November 6, expecting the couple to formalise their union. Instead, Bahati took the podium and declared his intention to contest the parliamentary seat.
A large screen displayed his political ambitions as the announcement shifted attention away from the anticipated wedding celebrations.
Wedding publicity gives way to Mathare MP bid
Bahati later acknowledged that he had deliberately used the wedding narrative to attract attention before his announcement. The declaration followed weeks of publicity about a celebration marking the couple’s 10 years together.
The couple announced their plans on October 7, saying they would limit attendance to 100 guests. Meanwhile, the reported KSh1 million invitation price sparked debate, with Bahati defending the occasion as intended for wealthy guests.
To build anticipation, the pair also shared videos showing invitation deliveries to prominent personalities. Those on the invitation list included musicians, businesspeople and religious leaders.
They also announced restrictions on media coverage, cameras and livestreaming. However, the political declaration became the focus of online discussion after the event.
Bahati seeks another run after 2022 defeat
The announcement drew mixed reactions, with some Kenyans questioning the expensive invitations. Others viewed the wedding build-up and subsequent political reveal as an elaborate publicity strategy.
Bahati now intends to return to a constituency where he previously sought election. In 2022, he contested the Mathare parliamentary seat on a Jubilee Party ticket but lost to ODM’s Anthony Oluoch.
In explaining his decision to run again, the musician has pointed to his upbringing in Mathare. He argues that growing up in the constituency gave him an understanding of the challenges residents face.
His declaration therefore marks another attempt to move from entertainment into parliamentary politics, with Mathare again his chosen constituency.
