Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja will seek re-election on an ODM ticket in 2027.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja will seek a second term on an ODM ticket after party officials welcomed him at Chungwa House.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja joins ODM after leaving the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), choosing a new party for his 2027 re-election bid.
Senior ODM officials, including Deputy Party Leader Simba Arati, welcomed Sakaja at Chungwa House in Nairobi on Monday, November 2. The governor said he would seek a second term on the party’s ticket.
The move ends speculation about his party choice after weeks of public signals towards ODM.
Sakaja joins ODM after Jacaranda rally
Before his reception at Chungwa House, Sakaja attended an ODM rally at Jacaranda Grounds on Saturday, October 31. He asked supporters which party they wanted him to use for his next gubernatorial campaign.
The crowd suggested ODM, and Sakaja then asked party leaders at the rally to welcome him. His appearance at the party headquarters followed on Monday.
Meanwhile, ODM had spent months encouraging the governor to leave UDA. Party leaders argued that an ODM ticket would give him a stronger chance of winning another term.
They also maintained that ODM was Nairobi’s biggest party and should field candidates for every position, including governor.
Earlier calls to switch parties
Suna East MP Junet Mohammed was among the leaders who publicly urged Sakaja to change parties. During an empowerment event in Kileleshwa Ward, he argued that the governor needed ODM to secure re-election in 2027.
The late former ODM leader Raila Odinga had also backed Sakaja’s re-election bid in 2025. He asked party members to remember the Nairobi governor when voting in 2027.
By August 2026, Sakaja had hinted at leaving the ruling party. However, he said he was still consulting widely as supporters pressed him to associate with ODM.
At the time, Sakaja described his close relationship with Odinga, saying he regarded him as a father figure. He also said they had spent considerable time together.
