Governor Sakaja ditches UDA, officially joins ODM

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has officially defected from the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) to join the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

The governor made the announcement during a media briefing held on Monday, November 2, at the ODM headquarters, Chungwa House, in Lavington, Nairobi. This formal switch marks the culmination of growing speculation regarding Sakaja's political future as various factions begin positioning themselves for the upcoming polls.

Sakaja’s departure from the ruling party had been heavily anticipated following weeks of public hints. Just days prior, during a memorial event for the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at Jacaranda Grounds on Saturday, October 31, the Nairobi governor openly tested the waters with constituents. Addressing the crowd, he asked Nairobi residents whether he should align with UDA, ODM, or the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP).

“What do you say, should I join ODM?” Sakaja asked the gathering.

The crowd’s enthusiastic response calling on him to make the switch resonated with mounting pressure from ODM leaders and supporters who had long urged him to cross over. Signaling his willingness to fold under the party’s framework, Sakaja told the leadership present at the memorial:

“The voice of the people is the voice of God. Chair and party leader, you will guide me.”

These remarks followed earlier comments made by the governor on August 26, when he first publicly acknowledged that senior ODM members had approached him regarding a shift.

“There has been that call. Some officials and party members have said that they want me to move to their party,” Sakaja had stated at the time, confirming that preliminary political discussions were underway.

While Sakaja’s entry into ODM delivers a significant political boost to the opposition outfit in the capital, it simultaneously introduces new internal dynamics concerning the party's 2027 Nairobi gubernatorial ticket.

Although numerous ODM delegates and grassroots leaders have welcomed the governor into their fold, the party has made it clear that a direct nomination is not guaranteed. ODM leadership maintains that all aspirants seeking party tickets must subject themselves to competitive primaries rather than receiving automatic endorsements.

This policy opens the door for potential fierce internal competition.

Makadara MP George Aladwa has already emerged as a prominent potential contender for the ODM gubernatorial ticket, setting the stage for a high-stakes contest within the party as political heavyweights jostle for dominance in Nairobi.

Johnson Sakaja was originally elected as Nairobi’s governor in August 2022 on a UDA ticket, securing a decisive victory against Jubilee candidate Polycarp Igathe.

His tenure has occasionally faced administrative friction, including recent local pushback over proposed city management strategies, such as the Nairobi Residents Demand Withdrawal of Sakaja’s New Administrative Plan.