Babu Owino and Agnes Kagure are locked in a tight race for Nairobi governor, with 22.4% and 22.3%, respectively, in a new poll by Mwelekeo Insights. Ronald Karauri, George Aladwa and Margaret Wanjiru follow, while Governor Johnson Sakaja trails in sixth place.
A well-designed graphic showing how individual Nairobi Governor candidates performed in Mwelekeo Insights poll
The final results, published on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, show a difference of just 0.1 percentage points between the two leading aspirants, placing them almost level in the contest for City Hall.
Owino and Kagure lead tight race
Owino, the Embakasi East MP, has been positioning himself for the Nairobi governor race ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Kagure follows closely at 22.3%, putting her within striking distance of the legislator. The narrow gap between the two makes them the leading contenders in the Mwelekeo Insights poll.
Embakasi MP Babu Owino speaks during a past media presser. Photo: NMG Source: Billy Oganda
Ronald Karauri, who is seeking the seat on a UDA ticket, ranks third with 16.1%, followed by ODM’s George Aladwa at 15.3%.
Margaret Wanjiru comes fifth with 11.5%, placing her behind the top four aspirants.
Sakaja trails as other candidates lag
Incumbent Governor Johnson Sakaja ranks sixth with 6.4%, behind Wanjiru, while Geoffrey Mosiria follows at 3.4%.
James Gakuya ranks eighth with 1.6%. The DCP politician has said he would contest as an independent candidate if denied the party ticket. Other candidates account for 1%.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja during a past media engagement. Photo: Johson Sakaja Source: Facebook
The Mwelekeo Insights poll places Owino and Kagure at the centre of the Nairobi governor contest, with Karauri and Aladwa trailing the two frontrunners.
About Mwelekeo Insights and its past polls
Mwelekeo Insights has also tracked political contests in other parts of the country ahead of the 2027 General Election. In its October 2026 Nyeri senatorial poll, Nick Mararo led with 43.1%, followed by King’ori Wanjohi at 17.3% and Kabando wa Kabando at 15.7%.
The poll highlighted the competition for the Nyeri Senate seat and the candidates seeking to build support ahead of the next election.
In Mvita Constituency, Mwelekeo Insights’ October 2026 MP poll placed Omar Shallo first with 45.4%, followed by Tobias Samba at 27.1% and Lulu Hassan at 17.9%.
The firm has also tracked gubernatorial contests in counties such as Kitui and Kiambu. Through its county and constituency polls, Mwelekeo Insights provides readers with a way to follow candidates’ standings and compare political competition across different regions as the country moves towards the 2027 General Election.