Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has indicated that he intends to seek re-election in the 2027 General Election, revealing that his bid will be anchored on the political formation that will represent the broad-based alliance currently shaping national politics.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV’s Citizen Sunday Live on Sunday night, Sakaja confirmed that he plans to defend his seat when Nairobi voters return to the ballot.
The governor said his candidature will depend on the party that eventually fields a candidate for the Nairobi gubernatorial race within the political arrangement supporting the national government.
“I am running for Governor. I am in the broad-based arrangement. The party that shall be fielding for Nairobi is what I will run on,” Sakaja said during the interview.
His remarks offered the clearest indication yet of his political plans ahead of the next election cycle, even as discussions around party alignments and alliances continue to evolve.
Sakaja also expressed confidence in his chances of securing another term, saying he hopes to become the first Nairobi governor to win consecutive terms since the introduction of county governments under the 2010 Constitution.
“This will be the first time Nairobi will have a back-to-back Governor, Inshallah,” he stated.
Since the advent of devolution in 2013, leadership in the capital has changed hands after every election cycle. Evans Kidero served as the city’s first governor between 2013 and 2017 before losing his re-election bid to Mike Sonko in 2017.
Sonko’s tenure ended prematurely following his impeachment in 2020, paving the way for Anne Kananu to briefly serve in the position before the 2022 elections.
Sakaja won the Nairobi gubernatorial seat in the 2022 election and has since led the county administration.
During the interview, the governor acknowledged the intense scrutiny and political pressure that often surrounds leadership in the capital, noting that public emotions remain high around governance issues.
“I know emotions are high right now, and I feel it. I am the one in the storm,” Sakaja said.
His remarks come as early political positioning begins to emerge ahead of the 2027 elections, with key contests such as the Nairobi governorship expected to attract significant attention.