Kenya: Sakaja Says ODM Has Courted Him As Political Future Remains Uncertain

What the report says

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has said he is receiving increasing approaches from Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) figures and supporters, but he has not confirmed any plan to leave the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). The remarks, reported by Capital FM and distributed by AllAfrica, come amid continued speculation over his political alignment in Kenya’s capital.

According to the report, Sakaja said the outreach has included youth representatives, women leaders and MPs linked to ODM. He said he has met some of them and is considering their request, while also stressing that he has not set any timetable for switching parties. He told Radio Citizen that he is weighing what Nairobi residents and his broader support base want before deciding his next move.

Sakaja also linked the interest from ODM to his relationship with the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, whom he described as a close political mentor and father figure. He said they had discussed his future before Odinga’s death, including the possibility of joining ODM. The report adds that he thanked supporters across ODM, TNA and UDA for backing him at different stages of his career.

The comments followed claims by Democracy for the Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua that UDA’s influence in Nairobi was weakening and that Sakaja might move to ODM. The situation highlights shifting party calculations in Kenya’s politics, especially in Nairobi, where alliances often shape local and national competition.