The news that is still circulating in social media platforms across the country is about the defection of Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja from the ruling United Democratic Alliance Party to the Orange Democratic Movement Party.
But the ODM leadership led by Oburu Odinga, Gladys Wanga, Simba Arati and Junet Mohamed has received bad news days after Sakaja joined the party.
Kenya — Kasarani Member of Parliament Ronald Karauri has launched a harsh political attack against Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja following the county boss’s decision to defect from the United Democratic Alliance to the Orange Democratic Movement.
The Kasarani legislator, who has publicly signaled his ambition to contest the Nairobi gubernatorial seat under the Orange Democratic Movement banner, argued that bringing Sakaja into the opposition outfit risks severely weakening the party’s institutional standing across the capital.
Karauri asserted that swapping party banners at Chungwa House will fail to shield the incumbent governor from public judgment over his leadership record at City Hall.
Highlighting persistent urban challenges facing Nairobi residents, Karauri pointed to recurring building collapses, acute drainage failures, uncollected garbage, and delayed bursary distributions as evidence of systemic governance failure over the past four years.
According to the lawmaker, attempting to rebrand under new political colors does not erase administrative shortcomings or alter public perception regarding county performance.
He maintained that embracing an incumbent burdened by controversy could compromise the party’s grassroots support base and erode voter confidence ahead of the upcoming general election.
Karauri’s public pushback reflects growing friction within the party’s Nairobi leadership network, where internal figures have raised concerns about welcoming high-profile defectors who seek shelter from political scrutiny.
By positioning the governor’s entry as a political liability rather than a strategic gain, the Kasarani MP signaled an intense battle for internal nomination control as rival camps compete to represent the organization in the capital’s top executive race.
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