Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has triggered fresh political speculation after admitting that he is engaged in consultations over a possible move from President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) to the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
Sakaja’s admission has added a dramatic twist to the political contest ahead of the 2027 General Election, particularly in Nairobi, where control of the governor’s seat is expected to be fiercely contested.
Speaking during an interview with Radio Citizen on Wednesday, August 26, Sakaja acknowledged that pressure had been mounting from ODM officials and supporters who want him to cross over to the party.
He, however, stopped short of announcing his defection, insisting that he was still consulting before making what could become one of the most consequential political decisions of his career.
“There has been that call. Some officials and party members have said that they want me to move to their party,” Sakaja said.
The governor revealed that the outreach has involved different groups within ODM, including politicians, youth and women representatives.
He said the calls were significant enough that he could not simply dismiss them as political noise.
Sakaja invokes his relationship with Raila
One of the most striking aspects of Sakaja’s explanation was his reference to his longstanding relationship with the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the founder and longtime political face of ODM.
Sakaja described Raila as being like a father to him and suggested that the idea of him joining ODM was something the two had discussed before Raila’s death in October 2025.
According to the governor, their close relationship is one of the reasons the possibility of an ODM move continues to occupy his mind.
“In October, we will be marking one year since Raila left us and we were very close, he was like my father, and he also wanted that,” Sakaja said.
The remarks have given a personal dimension to what would otherwise be viewed purely as an electoral calculation.
Sakaja’s political journey has already seen him navigate different political formations, and a move to ODM would represent another major shift as he prepares to defend the Nairobi governorship in 2027.
No official UDA exit yet
Despite the growing speculation, Sakaja has made it clear that he has not formally announced his departure from UDA.
He said there was no fixed date for leaving the ruling party and maintained that he would take into account the views of the people he represents.
“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.
That statement leaves the governor’s political future hanging between two competing camps.
While ODM figures have openly encouraged him to join their party, Sakaja has also continued making statements emphasising the importance of continuity in Nairobi and the need to complete projects initiated by his administration.
Sakaja had vowed to defend his Nairobi seat in 2027 while arguing that political leaders should be given enough time to complete development programmes rather than constantly shifting their attention to elections.
ODM has been openly courting Sakaja
The latest revelation did not come out of nowhere.
In July, ODM Director of Elections and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed publicly challenged Sakaja to join the party if he wanted ODM’s support for a second term.
Junet argued that Nairobi remained an important ODM political base and suggested that the party would only consider backing Sakaja if he abandoned UDA.
The pressure appeared to intensify in August, with reports that ODM leaders and supporters were holding discussions with the governor about a possible political realignment.
Sakaja subsequently indicated that he was consulting widely before settling on the party he would use to defend his seat in 2027.
Gachagua adds fuel to the political fire
Sakaja’s admission also came shortly after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua publicly claimed that the Nairobi governor was preparing to leave UDA.
Gachagua, who now leads the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), used the claim to argue that UDA was losing key political figures.
He also took a swipe at ODM under its current leadership, describing the party as having lost much of its previous strength.
Sakaja’s subsequent confirmation that ODM officials had indeed been courting him has therefore given fresh weight to a political story that had previously been largely speculative.
What an ODM move could mean for Nairobi
A Sakaja move to ODM would be politically significant.
Nairobi has historically been one of Kenya’s most politically competitive counties, and the governor’s position carries enormous influence because of the capital’s population, economic importance and national political visibility.
For Sakaja, joining ODM could potentially strengthen his relationship with politicians and voters aligned with the opposition party.
For ODM, recruiting a sitting Nairobi governor would represent a major political coup, particularly as the party seeks to consolidate its influence in the capital ahead of the 2027 elections.
But the move could also come with political risks.
Sakaja would have to navigate his relationship with President Ruto and supporters who backed him under the UDA banner.
He would also need to convince Nairobi voters that a change of party is motivated by more than electoral survival.
Sakaja faces a delicate political balancing act
The governor’s latest comments reveal the difficult balancing act confronting him.
On one hand, ODM leaders are publicly encouraging him to cross over.
On the other, Sakaja has continued to speak about development, continuity and defending his record in office.
Earlier in August, he said he intended to return to Nairobi residents, present his manifesto and account for his performance as he seeks another term.
He also expressed confidence that he could make history by becoming the first Nairobi governor to win a second consecutive term.
His political calculations are therefore likely to be driven not only by party loyalty but also by the mathematics of the 2027 Nairobi contest.
For now, Sakaja remains a UDA governor.
But his admission that discussions with ODM are ongoing has transformed what was previously political speculation into an issue he has publicly acknowledged.
The big question is no longer whether ODM has approached Sakaja.
It is whether the Nairobi governor will eventually answer the call.
With the 2027 election approaching, his eventual decision could reshape alliances in Nairobi and potentially alter the wider political balance between the government and opposition camps.
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