NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 26 – Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has acknowledged growing overtures from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), but stopped short of confirming whether he intends to quit the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Sakaja said several ODM politicians and party supporters had approached him over a possible move, with the outreach involving youth representatives, women leaders and MPs aligned to the opposition party.
He said he had engaged some of the groups in discussions and was taking their appeal seriously.
“There has been that call. Some officials and party members have said that they want me to move to their party. I have had meetings with the youths who met the other day; women leaders and MPs were also present; you can’t ignore that,” Sakaja said in an interview with Radio Citizen.
The governor also connected the ODM overtures to his longstanding relationship with the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, whom he described as a father figure.
Mr Sakaja said he and Mr Odinga had discussed his political future extensively before the former premier’s death, including the possibility of him joining ODM.
“In October, we will be marking one year since Raila left us, and we were very close; he was like my father, and he also wanted that. We had a lot of talks before his death,” Mr Sakaja said.
Despite confirming the approaches, Sakaja said he had not set a date for leaving UDA.
Instead, he said he was weighing the political environment and paying attention to the views of Nairobi residents and his wider political support base before making a decision.
“There is no official date for when we will leave UDA, but the call is there. It is something I am observing; we must also look at what people are saying. If that’s what they want, then I am their employee,” he said.
Sakaja expressed appreciation to ODM supporters who have backed his leadership despite his membership in a rival political party.
He also credited supporters associated with the former The National Alliance (TNA) and UDA for standing by him during his political career.
“I thank the ODM members for standing with me despite me not being in their party. I also thank the TNA and UDA members whom we have been together because they have been supportive,” he said.
The governor’s remarks came a day after Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua claimed that UDA’s influence in Nairobi was waning.
Gachagua made the remarks on Tuesday at his Wamunyoro residence while receiving political leaders who had defected to his party.
He also linked the alleged decline in UDA’s fortunes to the reported possibility of Sakaja joining ODM, which is currently led by Oburu Oginga in the wake of Odinga’s death.
“UDA is done. I hear Sakaja wants to move to ODM led by Oburu. We wish you the best,” Gachagua said.
