Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja faces his toughest political test yet as members of the Nairobi County Assembly (MCAs) push forward an impeachment motion that has already crossed the required threshold of support. In a rare show of bipartisan urgency, both President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga have separately summoned MCAs in a frantic bid to save Sakaja’s job.
Sources within the Assembly confirm that over 80 MCAs have appended their signatures to the motion, well above the 41-member threshold needed to trigger a special sitting. The charges against Sakaja and his deputy, Njoroge Muchiri, exceed 20 counts, including allegations of incompetence, failure to disburse bursaries, and disregarding Assembly resolutions.
ODM MCAs were called for a closed-door meeting at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation in Lang’ata by Raila Odinga, while UDA MCAs were summoned to State House Nairobi by President Ruto hours later. Both leaders are seeking to persuade their respective party members to stall or abandon the impeachment drive.
Despite marathon consultations—including a prolonged weekend meeting between Raila and Sakaja at Karen—no tangible agreement has emerged. MCAs insist their decision is about the welfare of Nairobi residents rather than political alignments.
“We crossed the threshold within minutes of collecting signatures. This is a House decision, not an individual’s,” said one MCA.
With a special sitting now imminent, the political stakes have never been higher. If the impeachment motion sails through, Sakaja would face the Senate for final determination. Given the speed and scale of MCA mobilization, observers question whether political protection from both sides of the divide will be enough.
Governor Sakaja’s political survival now depends on whether President Ruto and Raila Odinga can convince MCAs to reverse course. But insiders note the impeachment drive has gathered unprecedented bipartisan support, making it one of the most formidable threats to a Nairobi governor in recent history.
As one senior MCA put it:
“This is not about party lines. It’s about Nairobians who feel let down.”
The coming days will reveal whether Sakaja’s high-level backers can douse the flames of rebellion—or whether the governor will become the latest casualty of Nairobi’s unforgiving politics.
