NAIROBI, Kenya Sep 3 – Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja is clinging to power by the grace of Kenya’s two most powerful men, President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Without their intervention, his three-year reign at City Hall would have collapsed under the weight of an impeachment.
On Tuesday, the President summoned UDA ward representatives to State House and warned them to abandon the ouster motion.
Almost simultaneously, Raila convened ODM MCAs and MPs in Nairobi, pressing them to drop their push to eject Sakaja.
Their combined pressure saved the Governor from what looked like certain political death.
The survival, however, came at a cost as Sakaja now stands exposed as a leader who owes his position not to Nairobians or his own record, but to powerful patrons pulling the strings.
Sakaja swept into office in 2022 as the “cool kid” of politics, celebrated as a youthful, stylish leader who promised to finally fix Nairobi’s broken systems
Three years later, Nairobians say those promises lie in ruins.
Infotrak’s latest survey placed Sakaja at a dismal 37 out of 47 governors, as more than half of Nairobi residents said the county is headed in the wrong direction.
“We trusted him because he looked different,” said Jane Wanjiru, a resident of Nairobi. “But the city is still the same mess.”
– The impeachment that almost was –
Frustrated by his failures, more than 70 MCAs, well above the legal threshold, had signed on to impeach Sakaja by September 1, 2025.
They cited over 20 charges, including financial misconduct, corruption, water shortages, stalled projects, and poor service delivery.
“Governor Sakaja has betrayed the trust of Nairobians,” said one MCA who backed the ouster. “We are keen to hold him accountable.”
What made the revolt unprecedented was its bipartisan nature.
Both ODM and UDA MCAs rallied behind the motion, signalling just how far Sakaja’s political stock had fallen.
For the first time, even Raila’s MCAs openly defied his word, insisting the impeachment was “a members-only process.”
The rebellion forced both Ruto and Raila to step in.
At State House, the President cracked the whip, warning UDA MCAs that defying him on Sakaja would amount to insubordination.
Across town, Raila marshalled ODM leaders, pleading with them to suspend the impeachment.
By Tuesday evening, the motion had been paused, but not without conditions.
Sakaja was given just one month to resolve pending issues or face another attempt at removal.
“If Sakaja repeats the same mistakes, he’ll have to face the consequences. He has admitted his failures and promised change. We’ll see in a month if he delivers,” said Makadara MP George Aladwa.
The episode left Nairobians asking an uncomfortable question if a governor cannot survive without godfathers, is he really governing at all?
Sakaja’s political journey has always been meteoric.
From nominated MP in 2013, to Senator in 2017, to Governor in 2022, he built a reputation as a rising star.
His charm and flair made him a media darling, and his easy confidence earned him the nickname “Nairobi’s cool kid.”
But charm does not unclog drains or deliver water.
Today, many see the man once hailed as the face of youthful leadership as a captive of forces bigger than himself.
Audit reports, citizen anger, and poor rankings have reduced him from golden boy to political liability, surviving not on performance, but on patronage.
For now, Sakaja breathes easier, thanks to the lifeline thrown by Ruto and Raila.
But the impeachment sword still hangs over his head as Sakaja is living on borrowed time and at the mercy of his godfathers
Nairobi’s MCAs remain restless, residents are still angry, and service delivery has not improved.
