- Embakasi North MP James Gakuya dismissed any negotiations with Babu Owino over fielding a single Nairobi gubernatorial candidate
- Gakuya, a three-term MP running on a DCP ticket, said he would stand as an independent if the party denied him the nomination
- The rivalry comes amid active coalition-building by both lawmakers to lock in Nairobi's dominant tribal voting blocs ahead of 2027
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Embakasi North Member of Parliament James Gakuya has flatly rejected the idea of sitting across from his Embakasi East counterpart Babu Owino to negotiate who should carry the flag for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat in 2027.
Source: Facebook
Gakuya, popularly known as Bazenga, is seeking the city's top seat on a Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) ticket.
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He made clear he will not entertain any arrangement that effectively sidelines him in favour of Babu Owino, and went further to say that at his stage in political life, currently in his third term in Parliament, he would not settle for anything short of a gubernatorial candidacy.
Gakuya's Conditions for the 2027 Race
The Embakasi North lawmaker said that if DCP withholds its ticket from him, he is prepared to contest as an independent candidate, signalling he views the Nairobi race as non-negotiable.
"The party has the freedom to decide who it wants to contest on its ticket, but as an individual, my position is very clear: I will not back down. If I'm denied the ticket, I will find another way, even if it means going as an independent candidate. I will not force the party to give the ticket, but where I have reached, I can't retreat," said Gakuya.
He added that political parties and coalitions should only negotiate for the presidential candidate's position and leave aspirants seeking other positions to face off.
Gakuya's remarks came shortly after Babu Owino and the Linda Mwananchi team, led by Edwin Sifuna, paid a visit to DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua at his Wamunyoro residence in Mathira, where discussions on the 2027 political landscape and coalition arrangements reportedly took place.
Babu appeared particularly eager to secure Gachagua's backing, posting a photograph alongside the DCP leader four times on his X account within a single day, expressing gratitude for the reception and hinting at a possible political alignment ahead of the next general election.
Gakuya brushed aside Babu's outreach to Gachagua as no cause for alarm, stating he remains prepared for any political development that follows.
Coalition-Building Strategies Unfold
Both lawmakers are actively working to consolidate Nairobi's key voting blocs, with Kikuyus, Luhyas, Kambas and Luos widely regarded as the dominant communities in the county.
Gakuya has been cultivating a closer relationship with Sifuna, a move political analysts interpret as an effort to attract Luhya voters to complement the Kikuyu support base he already commands. His calculation appears to be that combining these two blocs would give him a decisive edge over rivals including Babu.
Babu, meanwhile, is pursuing a parallel strategy. He has maintained close ties with Sifuna to court Luhya votes, and is simultaneously engaging Gachagua to draw in the Mt Kenya bloc. He has also been working alongside Wiper Democratic Movement leader Kalonzo Musyoka in an apparent bid to win over Kamba voters for his gubernatorial campaign.
Source: TUKO.co.ke