Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is a heartbeat away from becoming the chairman of the UDA party in Nairobi.
The United Democratic Alliance party held its constituency-level elections in Nairobi on Friday to pick delegates that will elect county officials.
After the polls that pitted Sakaja against Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, the governor’s allies romped to victory in the 16 constituencies.
Only in Starehe Constituency polls were called off by the UDA National Elections Board following pockets of skirmishes.
With each constituency having 20 slots of officials that will seat at the county level, the remaining constituency may not sway the final results.
Gakuya, who enjoys the backing of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had claimed he would sweep the seats across all the constituencies.
After the polls Sakaja’s camp said it secured 240 delegates out of the possible 340 positions, handing the county boss a comfortable lead.
The victory means that Sakaja is solidly on course to chairing the UDA Nairobi County branch despite Gachagua’s spirited opposition.
“I congratulate you on your victory. What is remaining now is for us to unite and finish the job because we have the numbers to get the job done. Let’s come together and ensure success this coming week,” Sakaja said on Saturday.
Since the Friday polls, Gakuya’s camp has remained silent without any public statements.
The delegates elected on Friday will be the ones that will pick county officials when elections are convened later this month.
Gakuya is still eligible to face Sakaja after winning his position as a delegate from his Embakasi North Constituency although he lacks the numbers.
About 1,700 delegates from all the 85 wards in Nairobi took part in constituency elections to pick UDA grassroots officials in the high-stakes polls.
The UDA constitution provides that the 20 delegates elected from each of the 17 Constituencies will have the final say on the county branch leadership.
Sakaja has declared his bid for the county chairmanship seat in the upcoming county polls.
Gakuya who has also declared his interest in the county chairmanship position suffered a staggering blow after most of his allies lost at the constituency level.
The governor’s camp had on Friday drawn up a list of formidable aspirants, significantly hurting Gakuya’s chances to have his allies elected.
Sakaja’s list had a galaxy of former ward and constituency aspirants, sitting MPs and influential figures who lost the 2022 UDA nominations or elections.
The Nairobi branch leadership is crucial for the UDA party as it will steer the outfit’s 2027 election strategy in an attempt to dwarf the opposition.
Sakaja would be leveraging his experience as the former national chairman of the now-defunct National Alliance (TNA) party to build a solid UDA structure ahead of 2027.
There have been concerns in UDA that the party’s performance in Nairobi during the 2022 polls, was hurt by the influence of strong Azimio structures.
At that time, Opposition leader Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition was controlling Nairobi under Sakaja’s predecessor Anne Kananu.
Analysts say parties with governors at the helm of counties tend to perform well in general elections because of the leaders’ strong influence.
In the 2022 polls, the Azimio coalition won 12 of the 17 parliamentary seats in Nairobi County.
Azimio coalition MPs elected in Nairobi on ODM include; Babu Owino (Embakasi East), Jalang’o (Lang’ata), Tim Wanyonyi (Westlands), Beatrice Elachi (Dagoretti North), George Aladwa (Makadara), Tom Kajwang’ (Ruaraka), Peter Orero (Kibra) and Antony Oluoch (Mathare).
Under Jubilee; Mark Mwenje (Embakasi West), Amos Mwago (Starehe), and Yusuf Hassan (Kamukunji) carried the day.
Kalonzo Wiper party retained the Embakasi South seat under incumbent Julius Mawathe.
Azimio also clinched the positions of Senator through Edwin Sifuna and Woman Representative bagged by Esther Passaris.
Kenya Kwanza affiliated legislators elected in Nairobi all came from the United Democratic Alliance.
They include; Benjamin Gathiru (Embakasi Central), Mwafrika Augustine Kamande (Roysambu), James Gakuya (Embakasi North) and John Karie (Dagoretti South).
The Kasarani MP seat was bagged by Ronald Karauri who vied as an independent.
