The race for Nairobi’s governorship has taken a dramatic turn after senior ODM officials and grassroots delegates threw their weight behind Makadara MP George Aladwa as the party’s preferred candidate.
Aladwa, who serves as ODM’s Nairobi County chairman and is a former mayor of the defunct Nairobi City Council, received the endorsement during a strategy meeting held Wednesday in Nairobi.
The move positions him as a key challenger to Governor Johnson Sakaja of UDA.
The endorsement follows the exit of Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi from the Nairobi gubernatorial contest to vie for Bungoma governor in 2027.
Wanyonyi, previously regarded as ODM’s strongest contender against Sakaja, confirmed his shift earlier this month, leaving the party in search of a viable replacement.
Delegates praised Aladwa as a committed party loyalist with unrivaled knowledge of Nairobi politics.
“He is the most loyal and experienced leader in ODM,” said Paul Oyimba, the Kamukunji branch chairman. “We urge our party leader Raila Odinga to back Aladwa for governor.”
The endorsement came from newly elected ODM grassroots leaders, including Nairobi vice-chairman Ochieng Jera, Women’s Branch chairperson Catherine Akoth, and Youth leader Stanzo Omungala.
Aladwa’s political strength lies in his grassroots mobilisation skills and his influence among Nairobi’s Luhya voters, the city’s second-largest voting bloc after the Kikuyu. Nearly one million Luhyas live in the capital, giving him a strategic edge.
Sources indicate that Aladwa had initially considered running for Vihiga governor, but Raila Odinga reportedly persuaded him to stay in Nairobi due to his influence and experience at City Hall.
This recalibration comes after ODM’s failed attempt in 2022 when Tim Wanyonyi stepped aside for Jubilee’s Polycarp Igathe under the Azimio coalition deal—a move that ultimately cost ODM the seat.
