The battle for control of Nairobi politics is shaping up as the most delicate and fierce contest as it threatens to set partners against each other amid growing onslaught by rivals.
The 2027 battle is already emerging as a three-way struggle, with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) seeking to defend its traditional urban base, while President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is keen to maintain its foothold on the country’s seat of power.
At the same time, the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, the Wiper Patriotic Front of Kalonzo Musyoka, and the country’s new sensation, Linda Mwananchi, of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, are also aggressively seeking to consolidate anti-government forces in their pursuit to control city politics.
Nairobi has largely been an opposition ground in the past elections, with the late Prime Minister Raila Odinga having an edge since 2007.
At the heart of the contest is the coveted governor position, senator, woman representative, and the 17 parliamentary positions. The 85 electoral wards are also of interest for the political players. Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) are a major cog in the running of the county government, given their tendency to impeach governors.
Within the opposition, DCP seeks to ring-fence all the parliamentary seats currently held by both Jubilee and UDA, terming the electoral areas its strongholds. According to DCP, they are only open for negotiations with partner parties for seats currently held by ODM. The party is also fronting Embakasi North MP James Gakuya for governor and Millicent Omanga for Woman Rep.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino addresses journalists outside the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters in Nairobi on August 18, 2026.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
“We will agree on which party to field in which electoral areas. Some of the decisions will be influenced by the presidential ticket, because we don’t expect a party that will produce our presidential flagbearer to demand the governor position. But seats currently held by Jubilee and UDA now belong to DCP,” said Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru alias Mejjadonk.
Dr Ruto’s falling out with Mr Gachagua has since complicated the dynamics for the ruling party. A host of UDA MPs – including Benjamin Gathiru (Embakasi Central), James Gakuya (Embakasi North) and Kamande Mwafrika (Roysambu) – have joined Mr Gachagua’s DCP to boost their 2027 prospects.
Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan, Amos Mwago (Starehe) and Mark Mwenje (Embakasi West) – all elected on Jubilee Party – have also defected to DCP.
The Linda Mwanachi has similarly laid claim on the governor seat and all the parliamentary seats currently held by ODM.
The movement through its spokesperson and Suba South MP Caroli Omondi said they are, however, open to negotiations for the other county seats of deputy governor, woman representative and senator.
“All elective seats in Nairobi currently held by ODM will from now henceforth be reserved for Linda Mwanainchi in the 2027 general elections,” said Mr Caroli.
ODM won eight parliamentary seats and 36 MCAs in the 2022 polls. The constituencies currently held by ODM include Dagoretti North, Embakasi East, Kibra, Lang'ata, Makadara, Westlands, Ruaraka and Mathare.
Mr Omondi also said that Mr Owino remains the movements sole governor candidate. The movement has since scheduled a political jamboree on Sunday in the capital city to consolidate support.
“That Linda Mwanainchi will agree with DCP, Wiper and Jubilee on the joint strategy for electing a qualified Senator, Deputy Governor and Women Representative for Nairobi County. Linda Mwanainchi will support DCP, Wiper and Jubilee Candidates for the other elective seats in Nairobi,” said the MP.
Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja during a past media briefing at City Hall.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
In the broad-based camp, ODM has laid claim on the governor seat, which is currently occupied by Johnson Sakaja of UDA.
ODM argues that it cannot back President Ruto and at the same time support a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate for the governorship.
Makadara MP George Aladwa has since declared his interest for the governorship. The Nation has established that Mr Aladwa is the only aspirant who applied to run for the seat during the party’s month-long application period.
ODM had in May asked those seeking to run on its ticket to apply by June 30. The outfit is, however, likely to open the window again.
“I am the sole governor candidate for ODM,” Mr Aladwa told the Nation. He said ODM would insist on zoning so as to retain its parliamentary seats in Nairobi.
The condition by the Orange party that it has to field for the governorship has since triggered talk of having Mr Sakaja cross over to ODM ahead of the 2027 polls.
Mr Sakaja confirmed talks within the broad-based arrangement, but said that his focus currently remains in delivering to the people of Nairobi before engaging in the re-election campaign.
“The two parties are now in a broad based arrangement; conversations are ongoing on coalition building,” he said.
The county boss said apart from identifying the right party, his re-election would largely be determined by his achievements during his first term in office.
He said his administration has for the last four years prioritised interventions in school feeding, city lighting, drainage and river regeneration, and public healthcare.
The governor cited his pet project of Dishi na County. The school feeding programme, he said, is now serving approximately 324,000 learners across all 17 sub-counties.
DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua addresses the media at the party’s offices in Nairobi on August 11, 2026.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
“The programme is now three years old and was introduced against a backdrop where one in four learners was estimated to miss school because of lack of food,” he said.
Under the cooperation agreement with the national government, Mr Sakaja said 100,000 street and public lights are being installed or repaired across Nairobi.
He said his administration has also changed the way its major hospitals are managed, with Level 5 facilities being placed under Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) with greater operational autonomy.
According to the county government, Nairobi has moved from having no Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity to 43 neonatal and adult critical-care beds, comprising 23 neonatal ICU beds and 20 adult ICU beds. Mr Sakaja said his administration has also added 224 newborn unit beds across county facilities.
Mr Gachagua recently declared that his party had effectively taken over Nairobi politics after Mr Hassan formally joined the DCP.
Mr Gachagua, who has increasingly positioned himself as a central figure in the opposition politics said Mr Hassan’s defection marked the culmination of a broader political realignment in Nairobi.
“I want to announce today, the DCP takeover of Nairobi,” the DCP party leader said.
Nairobi has traditionally gravitated towards the opposition, voting against the government of the day in the 2007, 2013, 2017 and 2022 elections.
Mr Hassan, who has represented Kamukunji for four terms, said he had chosen DCP because he believed it offered a platform for political change.
“I have joined DCP because it is the party that seeks real change. (Nimejiunga na DCP kwa sababu ni chama inayotaka mabadiliko halisi),” the Kamukunji MP said.
Ms Omanga described DCP as a party for all Kenyans and predicted that Nairobi would be transformed into a DCP stronghold.
