Aladwa Says He Won’t Be Moses Kuria’s Running Mate in Nairobi

Makadara MP George Aladwa has firmly dismissed an overture by former Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria to be his running mate in the 2027 Nairobi gubernatorial race, declaring instead that he is eyeing the top job on an ODM ticket.

Speaking Tuesday evening at Bidii Primary School in Buruburu, Aladwa said his ambitions do not include playing second fiddle in a race he believes he is well-positioned to win.

“I have said I will not be Moses Kuria’s deputy. I have firmly stated that I will be vying for the position of Governor of Nairobi on the ODM party ticket in 2027,” Aladwa said, stressing that he intends to reclaim the county leadership he last held in 2013 as Nairobi’s final mayor under the old constitutional order.

His remarks come just days after Kuria hinted at a possible cross-party formation when he posted an image with Aladwa on December 1, suggesting they could jointly steer Nairobi’s future.

“Not because of our tribes. Not because of our parties. Because we care for Nairobi. Because we understand what Nairobians are going through,” Kuria wrote, adding that the pair had the experience and networks needed “to make Nairobi work again.”

Aladwa’s decisive rejection puts to rest speculation of a potential alliance and adds him to the growing list of political heavyweights lining up to challenge Governor Johnson Sakaja, who won the seat on a UDA ticket in 2022.

The race has already attracted Kuria, Embakasi North MP James Gakuya of DCP, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino of ODM, and former Transport PS Nyakera Irungu, also affiliated with DCP.

“I am not going to play second fiddle to anyone in Nairobi,” Aladwa said Wednesday morning. “That’s what I was reaffirming when I met my supporters in Buruburu.”

The fight for control of the capital intensified over the weekend after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua claimed to have struck a deal with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka to let Gachagua’s DCP front Nairobi’s next governor. Kalonzo quickly disowned the alleged pact, accusing unnamed government-linked individuals of orchestrating confusion within the opposition.

Nairobi, one of Kenya’s most ethnically diverse political battlegrounds, has never re-elected a governor since devolution began. As parties scramble to craft alliances and secure votes across communities, the 2027 race is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable contests yet.