Jump to navigation

Kenya

Mixed signals about an election for a new governor in Nairobi

PREVIEW

In what should be a safe seat for their combined forces, Kenyatta and Odinga seem to have reservations about the vote

The next pitched battle between Deputy President William Ruto and the 'handshake' coalition of President Uhuru Kenyatta and erstwhile opposition leader Raila Odinga is centred over whether and when a by-election to replace impeached Nairobi governor Mike Sonko should be held.

The 'handshake coalition' moved quickly to install Anne Mwenda as deputy governor of Nairobi and three days later as acting governor without an election (AC Vol 62 No 2, The race for Nairobi).

However, the electoral commission has warned that not holding a by-election would risk a constitutional crisis, while Ruto is calling for a poll fresh off the back of a by-election win for his candidate in the Coastal Msambweni seat (AC Vol 62 No 1, Handshake to face poll test). Sonko, meanwhile, is still challenging his dismissal.

The Kenyatta/Odinga alliance's fears of a poll are surprising. Nairobi county has never been a Ruto stronghold, and the numbers would suggest that a Kenyatta/Odinga-backed candidate would be favourite to win.

Copyright © Africa Confidential 2026
https://www.africa-confidential.com

Prepared for Free Article on 08/05/2026 at 01:04. Authorized users may download, save, and print articles for their own use, but may not further disseminate these articles in their electronic form without express written permission from Africa Confidential / Asempa Limited. Contact subscriptions@africa-confidential.com.

Related Articles

The race for Nairobi

The BBI alliance is manoeuvring its ally into the Nairobi governorship because it fears losing another by-election

The political differences between Deputy President William Ruto and President Uhuru Kenyatta are playing themselves out in the tussle to fill the position of the governor of Nairobi.

Handshake to face poll test

The President’s coalition with his former adversary will be put to the electorate in 2021 against a backdrop of economic pain

After a catastrophic decline in economic performance due to Covid-19 in 2020, aggravated by corruption and wrong-headed fiscal and public debt policies, 2021 promises to be particularly painful...

Strain in ICC case

The International Criminal Court’s case against Kenyans accused of financing and organising post-election violence finally got underway with the ‘confirmation of charges hearings’ on 1 September – and...

Kenyatta mulls the high cost of the handshake

Fresh from addressing UN and US officials on his country's political successes, the President faces a bumpy economy ahead of next year's elections

When he addressed the UN Security Council on 12 October President Uhuru Kenyatta joined other speakers to argue that mismanagement of ethnic diversity often caused political violence within...

Fuelling a debt crisis

Deadlock over plans to raise fuel taxes to satisfy the IMF risks derailing the President’s economic plans

Kenya's debt burden has been growing rapidly for the past four years, rising from 45% of GDP to near 60% now. Solid growth rates have given leaders freedom...


Stories by country

Footer Map