A crowded political field is taking shape in Nairobi ahead of the 2027 General Election, with Safina Party Secretary-General Joakim Simiyu becoming the latest politician to set his sights on the Senate seat. Simiyu says his decision followed a series of political calculations that saw him drop plans to contest parliamentary seats in Bungoma and Nairobi before deciding that the Senate offered a better fit for his experience and abilities.
Speaking during a Radio Generation interview on Friday, August 21, Simiyu explained that his first plan was to challenge for the Kanduyi parliamentary seat in Bungoma. He, however, changed his mind after two close friends entered the contest and began mounting active campaigns.
“Initially, the first aspiration was to be a member of parliament for Kanduyi constituency in Bungoma. Okay, because I felt like the one who is there is a little flush. It is not working well. So later on, two of my very close friends went there, and they started aggressively campaigning. So I looked at it and said, no need to go there and compete with friends.”
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The Safina official then turned his attention to Westlands, where he said he also considered seeking the parliamentary seat. He later reassessed the plan after noting that several lawyers were already preparing to compete for the constituency.
His political search eventually brought him to the Nairobi Senate contest, where he said he considered the role of the senator, his own abilities and the changing political environment in the capital.
Simiyu also pointed to the growing political activities of the Linda Mwananchi movement, led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, as part of what prompted him to examine the Senate race more closely.
“Then I looked at my friends in Linda Mwananchi. As Sifuna is flying and flying. Then I'm like, okay. Then what happens to Senate in Nairobi? Then I introspected, looked at my own capabilities, the duties of a senator. Weighed. Then I said, I am good for it.”
Sifuna is the incumbent Nairobi senator and has continued to serve in the Senate during the current parliamentary term.
Simiyu's entry adds another name to a contest that is already attracting prominent political figures. Lang’ata MP Phelix Odiwuor Jalang’o announced in February that he would pursue the seat on an ODM ticket, while lawyer Cecil Miller, who serves as Roots Party secretary-general, has also expressed interest.
A recent online survey by Mwelekeo Insights identified Sifuna, Ken Babu, Jalang’o and Kenneth Onyango among those being considered in the Nairobi Senate race. The survey drew responses from 328 participants and should not be viewed as a forecast of how Nairobi voters will vote in 2027.
Simiyu has outlined legislation, oversight and the protection of devolution as the main issues he intends to pursue if elected.
“I do not think any Kenyan out there, whether in support or against, can doubt my ability to deliver as a senator for Nairobi. Because a senate is basically being the voice of the people. And I want to be just that, regardless of who you are in Nairobi. I'll speak on your behalf because it's legislation, oversight, and protection of devolution, and those are my areas that I want to focus in.”
He also raised concerns over the wealth held by some county governors and called for greater scrutiny of their finances before and after their time in office.
“The trustworthy of the governors is also wanting. They have become the new sheriffs in town, overnight billionaires. I think we should come up with a way of a governor declaring their assets in totality before and after they serve their term in office. If you are worth 600 million, and after your first term in office you are worth 3 billion, you ought to explain which jackpot you hit.”
Beyond the Nairobi contest, Simiyu said the 2027 election should be about changing how Kenya is governed and how the economy is managed rather than simply replacing one group of political leaders with another.
He said those seeking power should be ready to explain how they intend to tackle the country's economic problems and improve the lives of citizens once elected.
Simiyu's entry therefore adds another dimension to the Nairobi Senate battle, with the Safina official seeking to make oversight, devolution and representation central to his campaign.