Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has declared his bid for the Nairobi governor seat and selected George Aladwa, a prominent Member of Parliament from the Orange Democratic Movement, as his deputy.

The announcement was made through a campaign poster shared online, signaling the start of a gubernatorial contest expected to be one of the most competitive in the country.

Kuria’s new partnership with Aladwa, who serves as MP for Makadara, represents a deliberate crossing of traditional party lines.

Kuria leads the Chama Cha Kazi party and has held senior roles in the current national government, whereas Aladwa is a key figure in ODM. The two have framed their ticket as a service-driven, non-tribal alliance focused solely on reviving Nairobi, as declared in their campaign slogan, “Make Nairobi Work Again.”

This development intensifies an already crowded race for City Hall. Incumbent Governor Johnson Sakaja is expected to seek re-election, while other major contenders include Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Embakasi North MP James Gakuya.

Kuria’s entry adds a fresh dynamic, as he brings national administrative experience but has never before run for office in the capital, having previously contested and lost the Kiambu gubernatorial election in 2022.

Kuria’s party recently demonstrated its influence in a tightly contested parliamentary by-election in Mbeere North, where its candidate secured enough votes to significantly influence the outcome in favour of the UDA party.

Kuria’s choice of an ODM lawmaker as his running mate is seen as a calculated effort to build a broad, multi-ethnic voting bloc in Nairobi by appealing to supporters across the political divide.

The coming months will test whether this unconventional partnership can gain traction among voters and withstand the formidable machinery of both the ruling coalition and a strong opposition in the battle for control of the nation’s capital.