Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has once again found himself at a crossroads politically after Orange Democratic Movement Ward Reps in Nairobi endorsed Makadara Member of Parliament George Aladwa.
Aladwa, who is also ODM Party Leader in Nairobi, after being endorsed on Wednesday, 30, September 2026, held a closed-door meeting with both ODM and UDA Ward Reps at City Hall, where he revealed his intentions.
During the meeting, Aladwa promised the Ward Reps a close working relationship and prioritisation of projects at Ward levels if he is elected Nairobi governor in 2027.
Some MCAs who spoke during the meeting cited that their relationship with Governor Sakaja has been icy and sometimes unavailable, a trait that they said has prompted calls for impeachment against the county boss.
“As ODM, we have a candidate who we are supporting. Aladwa has approached us and he told us he can lead the people of Nairobi and that is the person we stand with,” former Nairobi Mayor Godfrey Majiwa, who is the current Babadogo MCA, said
“Our party is well prepared in the city and we have agreed to field Aladwa in 2027 because he has all what it takes to lead,” another Member Emmy Khatemeshi Isalambo affirmed
The development comes about a month after Governor Sakaja, during a radio interview, claimed that he was under pressure from officials and supporters of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to join the party.
Sakaja said ODM officials, youths, women leaders and Members of Parliament have approached him in recent months, signalling growing interest in having him join ODM ahead of the 2027 General Election
“There has been that call. Some officials and party members have said that they want me to move to their party. I have had meetings with the youths who met the other day; women leaders and MPs were also present; you can’t ignore that,” Sakaja said.
Sakaja, however, stopped short of confirming that he would leave UDA, saying there was no official date for such a move.
“There is no official date for when we will leave UDA, but the call is there. It is something I am observing; we must also look at what people are saying. If that's what they want, then I am their employee,” he said.
The governor suggested that his ultimate political decision would be influenced by the views of Nairobi residents and his supporters, rather than being based solely on party considerations.
The endorsement of Aladwa now complicates Sakaja’s 2027 mathematics since the majority of UDA Ward Reps in the Assembly were not on good terms with him.
This could also ruin the broad-based arrangement between UDA and ODM in Nairobi unless one of them is forced to step down.
Ngei Ward MCA Redson Onyango said that while there is a broad-based arrangement between UDA and ODM IN Nairobi, their party must field a candidate.
“AS ODM, we have agreed that we must field a candidate who is Aladwa; there were rumours that Sakaja would join us but that was not confirmed, meaning he remains in UDA,” Onyango added
In 2025, Sakaja, the ODM party saved governor Sakaja from impeachment following an intervention by former ODM leader Raila Odinga as President Ruto convinced the members from UDA to drop the bid.
Sakaja's fate was in the hands of the ODM Ward Reps since they are the majority in the Nairobi County Assembly
It's for this reason that Sakaja was forced to reach out to the fallen ODM leader to save him from facing impeachment.
However, after the meeting, several Nairobi MCAs claimed they were threatened to drop the impeachment attempt against Governor Johnson Sakaja.
ODM members said the party threatened to deny them tickets in the 2027 elections if they pushed on with the motion.
Some allies close to Governor Sakaja have dismissed Aladwa, claiming that he could be raising his profile for bargaining power next year.
