Can chickens fly? Governor Sakaja knows better

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and Kisii Governor Simba Arati at the ODM Jacaranda rally on October 31, 2026. [Bernard Orwongo, Standard]

Nairobi Governor Johnson Arthur Sakaja doesn’t need a university degree to grasp the basic rules of power.

At its core, political power isn’t about winning an election or occupying high office. It requires earning and retaining public trust. Power not properly anchored in the goodwill of voters is brittle.

Any leader, who wields power yet neglects the electorate’s needs while expecting to be entrusted with public office time and again, is like someone milking a buffalo or teaching chickens to fly.

Since his defection from President William Ruto’s UDA to ODM last week, my reading is that Mr Sakaja is unsure of his re-election chances in 2027. Why? The goodwill has run out!

Worse still, he casts himself as a victim of bullying and alleged impeachment attempts by UDA. The former senator and TNA chairman is courting public sympathy by appealing to our hearts rather than minds.

Robert Greene’s ‘48 Laws of Power’ offers a good lens to examine the governor’s self-inflicted woes. Its sixth law of ‘court attention at all costs’ speaks to the importance of public perception. The lesson here for Mr Sakaja is that power can’t be sustained by party-hopping or playing the victim.

It must be earned through the confidence and goodwill of the people. Think of Raila Odinga. Baba consistently commanded people's attention. He didn’t need the trappings of power to sustain loyal following. Had Mr Sakaja understood what motivates the people, and consistently given Nairobi County voters a reason to remain loyal, he wouldn’t be struggling today.

In this space last year, I wrote that the governor stood a good chance of escaping the Nairobi curse that saw his predecessors Evans Kidero and Mike Sonko tumble. But now, for ditching the ruling party and giving President Ruto a cold shoulder, the clouds are gathering.

Not even endorsements from Mr Judas Iscariot or any other ODM mouthpiece will save Mr Sakaja from the looming political perils. Still, he will have to contend with figures like George Aladwa in the battle for the Orange ticket. To survive, he must ‘miraculously’ bring back hustlers to his fold.

He can’t bank on the machinery of a party whose support base has peeled off with Linda Mwananchi. Meanwhile, City Hall’s scorecard is underwhelming. Beyond cabro-paved streets, we deserve a metropolis defined by efficient waste management, improved security and an organised public transport system. ‘Let’s make Nairobi work’ must mean more than beautified pavements.

We demand a vision anchored in conviction and backed by action. It’s too late to bombard city residents with bulk text messages about planned City Hall projects when floods, garbage, unregulated hawking and matatu madness are choking them. One last thing. Governor Sakaja should stop invoking the late Odinga’s name to dress up his rash decision to join ODM. His explanation isn’t convincing.

Away from politics, I pause to remember my good friend Kitavi Mutua whose death has left a void in the media fraternity. Not long ago, former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu called me about a publishing project. This was after Mr Kitavi persuaded her that I was the right person to consult on the task.

A few days before that call, I had used this column to urge Ms Ngilu to step up and mentor the next generation of women leaders. She readily embraced the challenge. The former governor, Mr Kitavi and I subsequently agreed to meet over coffee to discuss further.

Little did I know that death would come calling before our planned meeting. The journalist died on October 30 after suffering a snakebite. I first met Mr Kitavi in 2010 during a National Irrigation Board (NIB) campaign aimed at boosting crop yields in the lower Eastern region.

He was passionate about solution-oriented journalism, particularly stories demonstrating how agriculture could transform livelihoods in counties. NTV Camera Section head Dickson Onyango and NIB Communications director Daniel Nzonzo can attest to Mr Kitavi’s zeal. How cruel and unpredictable life can be! We imagine possibilities only for life to remind us that it has the final say. Rest well, Mr Kitavi.