Bishop Wanjiru Rules Out Giving Up Nairobi Governor Bid in 2027
Bishop Margaret Wanjiru says she will not withdraw from the Nairobi gubernatorial race in the 2027 General Election, despite the possibility of political negotiations involving various opposition parties.
Bishop Margaret Wanjiru says she will not withdraw from the Nairobi gubernatorial race in the 2027 General Election, despite the possibility of political negotiations involving various opposition parties.
Wanjiru, who leads the Kenya Moja Movement Party, says her experience during the 2022 elections influenced her decision to independently pursue the governor’s seat this time around.
In 2022, Wanjiru had initially positioned herself to contest for Nairobi governor under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). She later stepped aside and ran for the Senate, with Johnson Sakaja going on to secure the gubernatorial nomination and eventually winning the election.
Wanjiru says she had invested considerable time building UDA’s support network in Nairobi before being asked to change her political plans. She has also claimed that she was promised a Cabinet appointment after agreeing to abandon the governor’s contest, but says the arrangement did not materialise after the election.
The experience has shaped her approach to the 2027 contest. Wanjiru says she intends to use her own political party to seek the position, giving her greater control over the nomination process.
She maintains that while political parties can negotiate over other Nairobi positions, including the Senate, deputy governor, woman representative and county assembly leadership, she does not intend to bargain away the governor’s seat.
Her renewed bid comes as several politicians and political parties position themselves for the Nairobi contest. Among those associated with the race are incumbent Governor Johnson Sakaja and Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, who has been linked to the Democracy for the Citizens Party. Other politicians have also expressed interest in the seat.
Wanjiru says her vision for the capital remains what she calls “Nairobi mpya”, centred on a clean, organised and functional city where residents can work and businesses can operate.
