Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has formally left the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and joined the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), declaring that he will defend his seat on the ODM ticket in the 2027 General Election. Kenyans
Sakaja was officially welcomed into the party on Monday, November 2, 2026, at Chungwa House in Nairobi by senior ODM officials, including Deputy Party Leader Simba Arati. The move ends months of speculation about his political direction as he prepares for a second term. Kenyans
The switch follows a public signal he gave just days earlier. At an ODM rally at Jacaranda Grounds on Saturday, October 31—held as part of the party’s Mwezi wa Baba activities marking the first anniversary of the late Raila Odinga’s death—Sakaja asked the crowd which party he should use for his re-election bid, offering UDA, the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), and ODM as options. Large sections of the crowd urged him to join ODM. He then asked party leaders present to consider welcoming him, invoking the idea that “the voice of the people is the voice of God.” Peopledaily
ODM has courted Sakaja for months, arguing that he stands a stronger chance of retaining the governorship on its ticket in a city the party regards as its stronghold. The governor has also reaffirmed his support for President William Ruto’s broad-based government arrangement, which has brought UDA and ODM into cooperation. This positions him as one of several leaders navigating the alliance rather than a complete break from the current administration. Allafrica
His entry is not without internal friction. Nairobi ODM delegates and leaders, including Makadara MP and county party chairman George Aladwa, have previously insisted that any aspirant—including defectors—must face competitive party nominations rather than receive an automatic ticket. Some local ODM structures have openly backed Aladwa for the gubernatorial race and opposed preferential treatment for outsiders. Lucky-wap-ams.op-mobile.opera
Sakaja was elected Nairobi Governor in August 2022 on a UDA ticket, defeating Jubilee’s Polycarp Igathe. His decision to switch parties while remaining aligned with the broad-based government underscores the fluid alliances shaping the road to 2027, particularly in Nairobi, where control of the capital remains a high-stakes political prize.
The development places Sakaja firmly in ODM’s orbit for the next election cycle, even as questions persist over how the party will handle its gubernatorial nomination process in the city.