The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party has set its eyes on the Nairobi governor seat and has openly called on Governor Johnson Sakaja to decamp from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party and join the Orange movement.
Initially, the top leadership of ODM Party was reluctant in their choice of who would become the governor of the capital city, until Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who is eying the seat, joined the Linda Mwananchi faction of the party.
The Oginga Oburu-led outfit is concerned following multiple reports, including opinion polls, that are indicating Babu as the favourite for the seat if elections are held.
On Sunday, the ODM Party called on Sakaja to defect from the ruling UDA Party and join ODM if he wants the party's support in 2027.
Speaking during an empowerment event in Kileleshwa, Nairobi, Suna East Member of Parliament, who is also the ODM party's director of elections, said that ODM will only support Sakaja's re-election if he joins the party.
According to Junet, UDA will not guarantee Sakaja's re-election, stating that only ODM can make him governor in 2027.
"I want to tell Sakaja that if he still desires to be re-elected as Nairobi governor in 2027, then he should come to ODM. If he decides to remain where he is, he will wait until Jesus comes back, and nobody will elect him," Junet stated.
The Suna East MP added that ODM still enjoys significant support in Nairobi and will ensure the party wins all positions in the city, including the gubernatorial position.
The party, Junet said, will not support Sakaja's re-election despite the UDA and ODM parties discussing a possible coalition ahead of next year's elections.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja before the Senate’s Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations Committee at County Hall, Nairobi on February 26, 2026. (Photo: NCCG)
"We will ensure ODM here in Nairobi secures all seats. We will not support Sakaja if he does not come to ODM. As the party, we have our candidate for the governor position," Junet added.
He further revealed that the candidate for governor is not Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who has also shown interest in the position, but is in the dissenting faction of the Linda Mwananchi team.
This is not the first time the ODM members have called on Sakaja to join the party. In February 2025, ODM members, including Makadara MP George Aladwa, said that Sakaja could secure his 2027 re-election bid only if he joined the Orange Party.
In response, the Nairobi governor offered a thinly veiled response to calls for him to dump UDA. "I've heard what Aladwa and Gladys Wanga have said. Where there are clouds, there is rain. In two weeks, I want to have a meeting with ODM bosses in Nairobi. I want to show you that I'm one of you," Sakaja stated.
As the country heads towards the general elections, calls have been reignited amid coalition talks between the two broad-based parties, as aspirants also prepare for the crucial elections.
Babu, on his part, is not keen on using an ODM Party ticket for his bid following irreconcilable fallout with the outfit’s leadership.
He plans to contest on a Linda Mwananchi political platform rather than an ODM ticket and has pledged to serve only a single term.
“In Linda Mwanachi, we are working on something that should propel us because a party is just a vehicle. As I always say, people will only elect a candidate in a party if those candidates or their track record is not known so much,” said Babu in a recent media interview.
The vocal and outspoken MP has indicated he will vie under a new political formation, stating that the ODM structure no longer aligns with his plans. He has outlined a political roadmap in which he will serve just one term as Nairobi Governor, effectively positioning himself to run for the presidency in 2032.
Sakaja's administration faces opposition pressure, and Babu has positioned himself as a vocal critic of the current county and national government cooperation. Babu faces competition from other aspirants eyeing the capital, including Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, former Principal Secretary Irungu Nyakera and Makadara MP George Aladwa.
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