Winnie Odinga Declares Nairobi Senatorial Bid

Winnie Odinga has announced her intention to vie for the Nairobi County Senate seat in the forthcoming General Election.

Speaking on Thursday, October 15, she said her decision to contest the seat was informed by the political developments surrounding Edwin Sifuna, who currently serves as Nairobi Senator.

Winnie pointed to Sifuna’s ambitions for a higher office as the opening that influenced her choice to seek the senatorial position.

"As Edwin Sifuna seeks a higher office, I see an opportunity in Nairobi, which is why I have decided to vie for the Nairobi County Senate seat," she said.

Following the declaration, Winnie will face Lang’ata MP Phelix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalang’o, who declared his interest in the seat in February.

Jalang’o made the announcement during an interview with Radio 47, where he expressed confidence in his ability to represent Nairobi residents.

He said his decision was informed by his understanding of the challenges facing residents and his desire to strengthen oversight of public resources at the county level.

"There is nothing that stops me from becoming the Senator of Nairobi or even the governor. I have walked in various parts of the country and come to understand what people need. I can confirm that I will be vying for the Senate seat in Nairobi," he said.

Jalang’o maintained that he was ready to pursue any political position he believed would enable him to serve the public.

"I make my decisions and I go for them. I'm telling you, I can be the Governor of Nairobi, I can be the Senator for Nairobi, I can be the MP for Lang'ata, and I can be an MP anywhere here in Nairobi. I've moved around, I've listened, I've spoken to people, so why not? I will go for it," he added.

Jalang'o also explained that his decision to seek the Senate seat was driven by the need for stronger oversight of Nairobi County's resources. 

He argued that effective supervision of public funds could help transform the county and improve the delivery of services to residents.

"The work of an MP is oversight and management of public resources. I told myself that if we have delivered good results in Lang'ata, we can transform Nairobi as a whole by properly supervising county funds," he explained.

Jalang’o further suggested that Nairobi needed more active representation, claiming that there was an opportunity for a leader who would be present and effectively perform the responsibilities attached to the office.

"I have seen an opportunity where someone was elected but has not done their job. That is why we say Nairobi residents need fair representation and someone who is present," he further said.