Raila meets ODM MCAs as Sakaja impeachment threat intensifies

By Newsflash Repoter

The push to impeach Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has gained new momentum, with more than 80 members of the County Assembly (MCAs) endorsing the motion, even as ODM Party Leader Raila Odinga moved to intervene.

On Tuesday morning, Raila summoned ODM-affiliated MCAs to a consultative session at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation in Nairobi. The meeting comes just days after he held two separate discussions with county assembly leaders in an attempt to diffuse the standoff.

ODM consults MCAs amid signature surge

According to Majority Whip Moses Ogeto, the invitation was circulated to members through their WhatsApp group. “You are hereby invited by Party Leader Raila Amollo Odinga for a consultative meeting… at 10:00 am,” read part of the message seen by The Eastleigh Voice.

The session follows reports that 87 MCAs have now signed in support of the impeachment motion, up from 70 last Friday. The growing numbers point to an increasingly coordinated effort to remove both Governor Sakaja and his deputy, Njoroge Muchiri.

Although the assembly went on recess on August 7, Standing Orders allow for a special sitting if requested by at least 41 members. With 87 signatures already collected, the threshold appears to have been surpassed.

Charges and grievances against the governor

The impeachment motion reportedly contains more than 20 charges against Sakaja. Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai confirmed on Monday that the motion was complete and ready for tabling once the assembly reconvenes.

“We have the charges ready—more than 20 substantive issues. We passed the threshold within minutes of collecting signatures. This time, it is a whole House initiative,” Alai said.

Among the grievances raised are alleged delays in releasing bursary funds, failure to allocate ward development resources, and accusations that the county executive has disregarded assembly resolutions. Roysambu MCA Sospeter Wamumbi added that oversight responsibilities had been ignored, deepening frustrations among ward representatives.

Sources at Raila’s earlier meeting with Sakaja last Friday in Karen indicated that the ODM leader urged the governor to urgently address the concerns raised by MCAs. Raila reportedly emphasized the release of funds for key constituency projects as a priority step toward reconciliation.

Despite these efforts, MCAs insist the matter has moved beyond political mediation. “When there is always a tiff, he [Sakaja] runs to Raila and gets saved. This time it will not be easier for him because the issues are between him and the MCAs, not Raila,” Alai said.

Political stakes for Raila and Sakaja

The standoff has placed Raila in a delicate position. While he remains keen to safeguard ODM’s influence in Nairobi politics, his interventions have so far failed to slow the impeachment drive. Analysts say his role in the unfolding drama could either reinforce his standing as a political stabilizer or expose the limits of his influence at the county level.

For Sakaja, the latest push represents the most serious threat to his administration since taking office. Previous attempts to initiate an impeachment fizzled out, but the current momentum, coupled with the broad cross-party support for the motion, suggests his political survival is at stake.

If the motion is tabled in a special sitting and passes the assembly stage, Sakaja will face trial before the Senate, where his fate will ultimately be decided.

For now, Raila’s meeting with ODM MCAs underscores the high political stakes surrounding Nairobi’s leadership and the growing tension between the executive and the assembly.