Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja made a warm gesture towards Ida Odinga on November 5, arriving at her Karen home with a large bouquet and sitting down for what appeared to be a relaxed, one-on-one conversation.
Photos from the visit, shared by The Star on X, show the two seated in what appears to be a sunroom or conservatory setting, with a colourful floral arrangement resting on a glass coffee table between them. The mood appeared cordial and unhurried.
Johnson Sakaja’s courtship of ODM
The Karen visit was not an isolated social call. It followed a meeting Sakaja held the previous day with ODM leader Oburu Oginga, Raila Odinga’s brother, as the governor actively explores joining the opposition party ahead of his 2027 re-election campaign for the Nairobi seat.
Calling on Ida Odinga, the widow of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga who passed away in October 2025, carries significant symbolic weight within ODM circles.
For a politician seeking to align himself with the party’s base, paying his respects to its most revered figure’s family is a pointed political statement.
A meaningful stop in Nairobi politics
Ida Odinga has remained a respected figure in Kenyan public life following her husband’s death, and her Karen home has become something of a pilgrimage site for politicians navigating the post-Raila political landscape.
Sakaja’s decision to show up with flowers rather than simply attending a formal meeting speaks to the personal nature of the outreach.
The governor appears keen to build relationships within ODM from the ground up, starting with the family before moving to the broader party machinery.
Whether the charm offensive will translate into a formal party ticket for 2027 remains to be seen, but the optics of the visit were unmistakable.
