Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has officially joined the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), declaring that he will defend his gubernatorial seat on the party’s ticket in the August 2027 General Election.
Sakaja has also thrown his weight behind President William Ruto’s broad-based government, signalling a political realignment that could reshape Nairobi’s political landscape ahead of the next General Election.
His decision to join ODM marks a significant shift from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), the party on whose ticket he was elected governor in 2022.
The move places Sakaja within ODM’s political fold as the party prepares for the 2027 elections and intensifies negotiations over its candidates for key elective positions.
His decision also raises fresh questions about the Nairobi gubernatorial contest, particularly given the presence of other ODM politicians interested in succeeding or challenging him at City Hall.
Sakaja’s support for Ruto’s broad-based government also highlights the increasingly complex political relationships emerging ahead of 2027, with party affiliation and government cooperation becoming important features of the country’s political negotiations.
Sakaja’s ODM move and the 2027 Nairobi gubernatorial race
Sakaja’s entry into ODM sets the stage for an important political contest over the party’s Nairobi gubernatorial ticket.
The incumbent governor will be seeking a second term in office, having been elected in 2022 on a UDA ticket.
His political relationship with the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has featured prominently in discussions surrounding his move to ODM.
Sakaja previously described Raila as a father figure and acknowledged that the former ODM leader had encouraged him to consider joining the Orange party.
However, his entry into ODM does not automatically guarantee him the party’s nomination.
Makadara MP George Aladwa has been among the party figures associated with the Nairobi gubernatorial contest, while Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Kasarani MP Ronald Karauri have also attracted attention in discussions about the 2027 race.
The party will therefore face the challenge of balancing the ambitions of established members with those of politicians joining from other political formations.
Lesuuda and ODM’s political realignments
Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda has also featured in the political realignment discussions surrounding the 2027 elections.
Lesuuda, who was elected on a KANU ticket, previously associated with the Azimio coalition, has been navigating changing political relationships as leaders position themselves for the next General Election.
Her September 2026 declaration of support for President Ruto highlighted the shifting political alliances involving leaders outside UDA.
Her reported association with ODM should, however, be distinguished from a formally announced party defection unless confirmed by an official party announcement.
Ruto’s allies and the changing political landscape
Sakaja’s move comes against the backdrop of wider political realignments involving politicians previously associated with Ruto’s UDA.
Several leaders have questioned their political positions within the ruling party, while others have explored alternative political formations, including Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).
Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata, Nyandarua Governor Kiarie Badilisha and Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba are among politicians whose political positions have attracted attention.
Sakaja’s decision is particularly significant because he has opted for ODM while maintaining support for Ruto’s broad-based government.
The development illustrates how political cooperation and party competition can coexist as politicians prepare for the 2027 elections.
2027 elections: ODM positions itself for Nairobi battle
With Sakaja now declaring his intention to defend Nairobi’s gubernatorial seat on an ODM ticket, the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections enter a new phase.
The governor’s move also places Nairobi at the centre of negotiations over ODM’s candidates, political alliances and electoral strategy.
Meanwhile, Ruto’s broad-based government continues to provide a political framework within which leaders from different party backgrounds can cooperate.
As more politicians reassess their party affiliations, the months leading to August 2027 are expected to feature further negotiations, defections and coalition-building.
For ODM, Sakaja’s entry brings the Nairobi governorship contest directly into the party’s nomination calculations, while the broader political realignments continue to reshape Kenya’s electoral landscape.
