Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja recently secured a temporary reprieve from an impeachment attempt, a development that unfolded amidst intense political maneuvering within the city's legislative assembly. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) MCAs, who command a majority in the City Assembly, agreed to suspend the impeachment proceedings against the Governor, offering him a critical lifeline.

The decision followed a crucial five-hour, closed-door meeting attended by prominent ODM figures, including party leader Raila Odinga, veteran politician Fred Gumo, and several city legislators. The meeting, chaired by Makadara MP George Aladwa, was convened after weeks of heightened tension. A section of MCAs had successfully gathered the necessary signatures to initiate Sakaja's removal, citing allegations of his failure to deliver on essential services, mismanagement of resources, and sidelining elected leaders in key decision-making processes.

During the intense deliberations, Governor Sakaja was given the opportunity to defend himself against the accusations. According to Aladwa, the Governor not only presented his defense but also offered an apology to the MCAs, promising to address their grievances and rectify the raised issues within a month. Aladwa emphasized that despite the ward representatives having reached the threshold for triggering the impeachment process, dialogue ultimately prevailed, leading to the decision to suspend the motion.

The Makadara MP asserted that the resolution was a product of collective reasoning and that no MCA was coerced into dropping the impeachment attempt. He further urged leaders to prioritize service delivery over political wrangling, stating, “No one has been coerced or forced to make a decision, but we all reasoned together. The governor defended himself and apologised, and we have agreed that for the next month, the concerns will be addressed.” This agreement grants Governor Sakaja a critical month to demonstrate his commitment to addressing the concerns raised by the MCAs.

However, this narrative of collective reasoning and uncoerced dialogue was swiftly contradicted by subsequent reports. Several Nairobi MCAs later claimed that they were, in fact, threatened and coerced into shelving the impeachment attempt against Governor Johnson Sakaja. This conflicting account highlights the complex and often opaque nature of political negotiations in the county, raising questions about the true circumstances surrounding the decision to suspend the Governor's ouster. The incident also underscores Raila Odinga’s continued significant influence in Nairobi’s ODM politics, where internal divisions had posed a threat to the stability of the county leadership.