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Mike Sonko’s Return to Nairobi Governor Race Threatens to Shake Up 2027 Battle

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3 weeks ago

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Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko is quietly positioning himself for a dramatic political comeback, with indications that he is preparing to enter the Nairobi gubernatorial race under his newly registered National Equality Development Party (NEDP) in a move that could significantly alter the shape of the 2027 contest.

Sonko’s expected return is already causing unease in Nairobi’s political circles, not because he is seen as the most polished candidate in the race, but because he remains one of the few city politicians with a deep and emotional connection to the capital’s grassroots voters, especially in the informal settlements and low-income estates where his populist politics, cash-handout image and direct style of engagement still resonate strongly.

For many of Sonko’s rivals, that is the real danger.

Nairobi politics has always been less about polished manifestos and more about visibility, street presence, emotional connection and the ability to convince struggling residents that you understand their daily pain. Sonko built his brand on exactly that formula. Long after he was kicked out of office, he has remained relevant among sections of the city’s poor who still see him as a leader who was accessible, flashy, generous and willing to intervene directly in personal crises in a way many conventional politicians do not.

That lingering support base is what makes his possible return such a serious political development.

If Sonko formally joins the race, he will not just be another name on the ballot. He will immediately become a disruptive force capable of splitting voting blocs, shifting campaign calculations and forcing every other serious contender to rethink how they plan to approach Nairobi’s complex and often volatile voter map. His presence would be especially felt in areas where personal loyalty and populist appeal matter more than elite endorsements, party slogans or polished boardroom politics.

Sonko’s new political vehicle, the NEDP, gives him a platform through which he can attempt to stage that comeback without depending on the goodwill of the larger political formations that have previously complicated his ambitions. It also gives him room to market himself once again as an outsider fighting entrenched political interests, even though he is himself one of the city’s most recognisable political figures.

That outsider-insider contradiction has always been part of Sonko’s political appeal. He is deeply embedded in Nairobi politics yet still manages to sell himself as the man fighting a cruel and detached system on behalf of ordinary people. It is a style that frustrates his critics but repeatedly keeps him relevant.

His possible return also comes at a time when Nairobi’s gubernatorial contest is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched races in the country. The capital remains politically strategic, financially powerful and symbolically important, meaning every major political camp wants influence over who runs City Hall. Sonko’s entry threatens to complicate those calculations because he does not fit neatly into the plans of the establishment candidates who would prefer a more controlled contest.

Instead, Sonko brings unpredictability.

He brings name recognition.

He brings noise.

He brings a loyal base that cannot be dismissed.

And most importantly, he brings the ability to turn the Nairobi governor race into a street-level popularity contest rather than a purely elite political negotiation.

For his opponents, that means campaign strategy can no longer be built only around endorsements, coalition arithmetic and media optics. If Sonko gets in, they will have to deal with the harder reality of Nairobi politics: a city where anger, poverty, visibility and raw charisma can still override the carefully packaged messaging of establishment campaigns.

His critics will of course point to his troubled record in office, the controversies that dogged his tenure and the legal and political baggage he still carries. Those issues will remain part of the conversation if he officially launches his bid. But Sonko has never depended on a clean establishment image to win public sympathy. In fact, much of his political strength has come from presenting himself as a flawed but present figure in a city where many leaders are seen as distant, arrogant or invisible once elected.

That is why his return cannot be treated lightly.

Even if Sonko does not ultimately win, his presence alone could reshape the race by eating into the support base of other candidates, forcing alliances to shift and making Nairobi’s contest far more competitive than some political players may have hoped. He has the ability to turn the election into a referendum not just on City Hall leadership, but on who truly commands loyalty in the capital’s streets, estates and informal settlements.

For now, Nairobi’s political class is watching closely as Sonko’s next move takes shape.

If he officially throws his hat into the ring under NEDP, the battle for City Hall will instantly become more chaotic, more emotional and far more difficult to predict. And in Nairobi politics, that is usually when the real contest begins-Kenya Today.

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National Assembly dismisses claims Sacco Bill is being rushed through Parliament

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15 hours ago

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July 14, 2026

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The National Assembly has dismissed reports that the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025, is being rushed through Parliament, saying the proposed law is still undergoing public participation.

Through infographics shared on Facebook on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Parliament said misleading information had been circulating online about the Bill, formally known as the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill No. 32 of 2025.

Bill was published in June 2025

The National Assembly said the Bill was published on June 30, 2025, and had remained under consideration for more than 12 months.

It rejected suggestions that lawmakers were fast-tracking the proposed amendments without allowing enough time for scrutiny.

According to Parliament, the lengthy period between the publication of the Bill and its current consideration shows that it is not being rushed.

Bill currently before the National Assembly committee

The Sacco Societies Amendment Bill is currently before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.

The committee is conducting public participation and receiving views from members of the public and other stakeholders.

The submissions are expected to help the committee assess the proposed amendments before presenting its recommendations to the National Assembly.

What happens after public participation?

After the public participation process is concluded, the committee will prepare a report containing its findings and recommendations.

Parliament said the views submitted by members of the public and stakeholders could inform further amendments to the Bill.

The proposed legislation will then proceed to the National Assembly for consideration by MPs.

This means the Bill has not yet completed the legislative process and could still be amended based on the submissions received during public participation.

Bill will be forwarded to Senate

The National Assembly also clarified that the Bill will not proceed directly for presidential assent after being passed by MPs.

Because the proposed legislation concerns county governments, it will be forwarded to the Senate for consideration in accordance with the Constitution.

The Senate will be required to consider the Bill before it can complete the parliamentary process and be presented for presidential assent.

Parliament urged members of the public to rely on verified information about the Sacco Societies Amendment Bill instead of unconfirmed reports circulating online-PeopleDaily.Digital.

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Digital house-hunting platform bets on technology to reshape Nairobi’s rental market

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15 hours ago

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July 14, 2026

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NAIROBI, Kenya, July 14 – A growing shift towards digital property searches is changing how Kenyans find rental homes, with real estate technology platform Reemio positioning itself as a solution to longstanding challenges.

This included fraudulent listings, costly house searches and limited market transparency.

As younger, tech-savvy consumers turn to online platforms to make purchasing decisions, the company says digitizing the rental process could improve efficiency for both tenants and landlords while lowering transaction costs.

“Our niche is to solve the problem of house hunting and also bring trust into that process. We use technology to connect renters and landlords,” said Kimani.

Kimani said the platform seeks to address inefficiencies that have traditionally made house hunting expensive and time-consuming.

Instead of physically visiting multiple properties, users can browse verified listings, take virtual tours, compare amenities and access information on additional costs such as water charges, electricity bills and service fees before scheduling physical viewings.

Beyond improving convenience for tenants, Reemio argues that technology can help landlords reduce marketing costs, shorten vacancy periods and reach a wider pool of prospective tenants, including Kenyans living abroad.

The company says its platform also generates market data that can help property owners and developers better understand evolving consumer preferences, although its long-term impact will depend on wider adoption of digital property platforms and continued investment in trustworthy online real estate marketplaces-Capitalfm.co.ke.

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ORPP edges two parties closer to joining Kenya’s political arena

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15 hours ago

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July 14, 2026

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The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has issued a notice for the provisional registration of two proposed political parties, opening a seven-day window for members of the public to lodge objections.

In a notice published by the Registrar of Political Parties and Chief Executive Officer J.C. Lorionokou, the ORPP announced that the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) and the People’s Alternative Voice (PAV) are in the process of being provisionally registered under Section 5(2)(a) of the Political Parties Act.

The ORPP, a State office established under Section 33 of the Political Parties Act and Article 260 of the Constitution, said its mandate includes registering and regulating political parties as well as administering the Political Parties Fund.

According to the notice, the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) has adopted pink, white and sky blue as its official party colours, with the slogan “Change – Mageuzi.” The party’s symbol is the acronym SDP enclosed inside a circle.

The party’s listed founder members are Nyangong’ Duncan Nyumbah, Omwandasi Jared Dishon and Kinyua Mary Wacuka.

The founders of PAV are listed as Odenyo John Fitzgerald Elly, Nyando Rachel Mmboga and Ali Hussein Kiplangat.

The Registrar said particulars of the two proposed political parties have been published on the ORPP website to facilitate public scrutiny as required by law.

Any person wishing to oppose the provisional registration of either party has seven days from the date of publication of the notice to submit objections either in writing or in person to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties at Lion Place, Fourth Floor, Waiyaki Way at Karuna Close, Nairobi.

The provisional registration marks the first step in the legal process of establishing a political party in Kenya.

Kenya has 91 fully registered political parties. The ORPP’s updated register indicates that, as of January 2026, there were 91 parties that had met the legal requirements for full registration under the Political Parties Act-STAR.

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