The Kasarani MP and SportPesa chief executive makes his political move a week after incumbent governor Sakaja crossed to ODM.
By Noel Isoyi
Ronald Karauri, Kasarani Member of Parliament and chief executive of SportPesa, officially joined the ruling United Democratic Alliance on Monday, declaring his intention to contest the Nairobi gubernatorial seat in the 2027 General Election. Karauri was unveiled at UDA headquarters, Hustler Plaza in Nairobi, where he was received by UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie and Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu.
The timing of Karauri’s move is striking. His arrival at UDA comes just seven days after incumbent Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja abandoned the party for the Orange Democratic Movement on 2 November 2026. Sakaja, who won the governorship on a UDA ticket in 2022, was unveiled at Chungwa House by ODM Deputy Party Leader Simba Arati and is widely expected to defend his seat on an ODM ticket in 2027. The two men now appear set for a direct contest β but from opposing political homes.
Karauri’s journey to UDA was not straightforward. As recently as 29 October, he told radio presenter Alex Mwakideu that he was interested in the ODM ticket for Nairobi governor β a declaration that would have set up a bruising primary fight with Sakaja within the same party. Within days, he had changed course. Standing before UDA officials on Monday, he was unequivocal: “Kiti cha gavana Nairobi ni kiti cha UDA” β the Nairobi governor’s seat belongs to UDA.
It is a significant personal turnaround, but also a revealing one. Karauri entered parliament in 2022 as an independent candidate after failing to secure the Jubilee ticket for Kasarani. He went on to defeat the UDA candidate in that election β making his current enlistment into the very party he once beat all the more noteworthy. Politics, as Kenya’s electoral history consistently demonstrates, is rarely a straight line.
Ichung’wah, speaking at the unveiling, said President William Ruto had telephoned him in the morning to personally welcome Karauri into the fold. Ichung’wah was bullish about the party’s prospects in the capital, declaring: “In 2022, Nairobi was UDA, and in 2027, Nairobi itakuwa ni UDA.” The message was clear β UDA views Nairobi as a seat it intends to reclaim and hold, and it is betting on Karauri to deliver it.
Karauri wasted little time unveiling his campaign identity. His slogan β “Nairobi Haijawork. Tunataka Nairobi Fiti” β translates roughly as Nairobi is not working; we want a Nairobi that functions. It is a pitch aimed squarely at the frustrations of ordinary Nairobians: congested roads, unreliable services, uneven development and a city that, despite its economic weight, still fails many of its residents on the basics. Karauri said his campaign would focus on inclusivity, equal opportunities and equitable development across all 17 of Nairobi’s constituencies β a signal that he intends to run a city-wide campaign rather than one anchored in his Kasarani backyard.
The road to City Hall, however, will not be clear. Karauri enters a crowded field. Sakaja will be a formidable opponent on an ODM ticket, drawing on incumbency and the machinery of a well-organised opposition party. Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, one of parliament’s most recognisable figures, has also been linked to the race, as has Embakasi North MP James Gakuya. Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku is reportedly eyeing the seat as well β and may yet seek the UDA ticket, setting up a potential primary contest with Karauri before either faces the broader electorate.
On that point, Karauri was measured. He said he would respect the outcome of the UDA primaries ahead of the General Election scheduled for 10 August 2027. It is the kind of statement that candidates make early and that the pressures of a competitive primary can quickly test. Whether he maintains that position when the stakes are higher will say much about both the man and the party.
What is clear is that Nairobi’s 2027 gubernatorial race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and politically significant contests in the country. The capital has long been a bellwether for national political sentiment, and the battle for City Hall will draw intense scrutiny. With Sakaja now firmly in the ODM camp and Karauri planting his flag with UDA, the lines are being drawn early.
For a city of more than four million people still waiting for the leadership that matches its ambition, the crowded field of aspirants is both a reflection of Nairobi’s political importance and a reminder of how much remains to be done β whoever eventually wins the keys to City Hall.
