Editor's Review

Polycarp Igathe congratulated Johnson Sakaja who garnered 699,392 votes to be declared the governor-elect for Nairobi city county.

Polycarp Igathe has conceded defeat to his main opponent in the Nairobi governorship race.

Igathe who was eyeing the city county's top job on a Jubilee party ticket was floored by UDA party's Johnson Sakaja who managed to secure a total of 699,392 votes.

Igathe polled 576,516 to trail Sakaja in second place.

Taking to Twitter, Igathe thanked his supporters who turned up on August 9 to cast their votes in his favour.

He congratulated Sakaja whom he wished well.

Polycarp Igathe sharing a moment with Johnson Sakaja after facing off with each other in the Nairobi gubernatorial debate in July. PHOTO: COURTESY.


"I accept the decision of the people of Nairobi and thank all our supporters. The Governor of Nairobi is His Excellency Johnson Sakaja. Congratulations! God bless Kenya," he said.

Igathe was trying a comeback at City Hall after resigning in 2018, a few months after winning the governorship with Mike Sonko.

Sakaja now becomes the third governor after Sonko and Evans Kidero who first occupied the seat between 2013 ad 2017.

Sonko won in 2017 but he would not finish his term after he was ousted from office in 2020 on grounds of abuse of office and gross misconduct.

His ouster was upheld by the Senate which rubber-stamped the Nairobi County Assembly's decision to impeach the county boss.

The seat was later held by Anne Kananu who had been appointed by Sonko as his deputy following Igathe's walk-out in 2018.