Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has officially crossed over to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) from the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Sakaja was officially welcomed on Monday, November 2, at Chungwa House, the ODM’s headquarters in Nairobi by top officials including Deputy Party Leader Simba Arati and National Chairperson Gladys Wanga.

The move puts the governor in a position to vie for a second term on the ODM ticket having won the governor seat on the UDA’s ticket in 2022. Sakaja has signalled his intention of defending his seat on the Orange ticket.

The move came after weeks of increased interaction between Sakaja and ODM leaders and supporters. He attended the party’s rally on Saturday, October 31, at Jacaranda Grounds, and asked supporters which party he should run on. He was urged by the crowd to join ODM and he called on the leadership to welcome him.

The move comes after months of talks between the governor and ODM officials who had been openly courting him to switch allegiances to the party. In August, the governor admitted that ODM members, including elected leaders, youth and women representatives had approached him.

“I am considering those calls. I will consider the views of people in Nairobi,” he told Radio Citizen. “There is that call. Some officials and members have told me they want me to switch to their party.”

The governor has also tied this move to his relationship with the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga whom he considers his father figure. He said he had been encouraged to join ODM by Odinga. However, he has changed his stance from August when he said there was no official timeline for him to leave UDA.

“I started with Raila Odinga when I joined politics and became governor. Now that I have joined ODM, I have many people behind me whom I am bringing into the party,” he said. “I was branded an ODM mole even before the Broad-Based Government. I was fought by tribal leaders who opposed my decision to work with Raila. Isn’t it a shame?”

The governor’s move to the ODM adds a new twist to the race for Nairobi Governor. The party has a strong presence in the capital and has previously stated that anyone will need to join the party if they are to gain their support to vie for the governor seat.

However, Sakaja will still have to go through the ODM’s internal nomination process.

The move also raises questions about his relationship with UDA and the ruling coalition. He was elected as governor on their ticket in 2022. The governor has previously shown his support for President William Ruto and the broad based political alliance between leaders from both parties.

This move means he is now aligned with a new party ahead of the election. Moving forward Sakaja’s next challenge will be to gain the ODM ticket and defend his record as Nairobi Governor.