NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 11 – Lang’ata MP Phelix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalango, on Tuesday declared that he will run for the Nairobi Senate seat in 2027.
While he said the move is driven by his desire to offer stronger oversight at City Hall, a section of Kenyans are of the view that the move is a strategic exit from Lang’ata before voters push him out.
Jalango made his declaration during a Radio 47 interview, saying his experience as an MP has prepared him for the Senate role.
“The work of an MP is oversight and management of public resources. I told myself that if we have delivered good results in Lang’ata, we can transform Nairobi as a whole by properly supervising county funds,” Jalang’o said.
But his announcement came at a time when his popularity in Lang’ata appears to be under pressure, and the political ground beneath him is no longer firm.
“It appears that Jalango has realized that his fortunes might not be good as a majority of us here in Langata will not vote him back,” one boda boda operator based in Langata told Capital News
Jalango swept into Parliament in 2022 riding on the ODM wave and his celebrity status.
However, politics is fast-changing, and Lang’ata is shaping up to be a brutal battleground in 2027.
Comedian and activist Eric Omondi is widely expected to contest the Lang’ata MP seat.
Unlike traditional politicians, Omondi has built massive grassroots goodwill through his Sisi Kwa Sisi Initiative, which has directly supported vulnerable Kenyans with food, rent, and medical help.
Among young voters and low-income households, his popularity is visibly rising.
– Is Jalango’s Nairobi Senate bid an exit strategy? –
For Jalango, facing a well-liked activist with strong street credibility could be risky.
A direct loss in Lang’ata would be politically damaging and possibly career-ending.
This is where Jalango’s Senate bid raises eyebrows.
Running for Nairobi Senator allows him to avoid a direct voter judgment in Lang’ata, while still remaining politically relevant.
But the Senate race is no walk in the park.
The seat is currently held by ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, who won it overwhelmingly in 2022, collecting 699,392 votes, compared to his closest rival Polycarp Igathe’s roughly 573,000 votes.
That margin cemented Sifuna as one of Nairobi’s strongest political figures.
Against this backdrop, Jalango’s criticism of Sifuna’s oversight record appears less like routine political debate and more like a necessary gamble to justify challenging a dominant incumbent.
“I respect our Secretary General Sifuna. In politics, he has performed well, but on oversight, he has let us down,” Jalang’o said, arguing that party loyalty should never come before defending the interests of city residents.
Jalango insists he is not running away from anything.
He argues that the law allows any elected leader to seek another seat and says his decision is entirely his own.
“There is nothing that stops me from becoming the Senator of Nairobi or even the governor. I have walked in various parts of the country and come to understand what people need. I can confirm that I will be vying for the Senate seat in Nairobi,” he said, adding that he is fully prepared for the contest.
