Ruto, Raila step in to stop Sakaja impeachment push

President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga have stepped in to quell mounting tensions over the planned impeachment of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, urging leaders to put dialogue and service delivery above political brinkmanship.

At State House, President Ruto met with UDA MCAs, cautioning them against pressing ahead with the ouster motion. Drawing from his own political battles, the President reminded the ward representatives that leadership demands resilience, not retaliation.

“I have been the most accused person, but I never allowed that to derail my work. I urge you to put aside differences and drop this motion,” Ruto told the MCAs.

Almost simultaneously, Raila convened a closed-door meeting in Nairobi with ODM MPs and MCAs, chaired by veteran politician Fred Gumo and attended later by Sakaja himself. The deliberations, according to insiders, ended with a consensus to shelve the impeachment push for at least one month—giving the governor time to adjust his leadership style and address grievances raised by ward representatives.

Nairobi ODM chair George Aladwa confirmed the agreement, saying the party’s MCAs had resolved to grant Sakaja a window to correct the issues flagged by the assembly.

Speaking after the meeting, Raila urged political leaders to rise above partisan agendas for the sake of Kenya’s capital.

“Nairobi must not be held hostage by political brinkmanship. Leaders must rise above divisions and deliver for the people,” he said.

Although elected on a UDA ticket, Sakaja has long relied on ODM’s numerical strength in the County Assembly, a balancing act that has frequently drawn criticism from his own political base. Last year, then-Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua accused him of “abandoning his community” in favor of the opposition.

Sakaja has consistently defended his inclusive approach.
“Nairobi is a cosmopolitan city. We cannot allow tribal politics here. We must work with both government and opposition to deliver for our people,” he has maintained.