IEBC resignation rule spins the ball for state officials aspiring in 2027 polls
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi coils his tail, bets on Ruto’s reappointment if he successfully defends his seat
By Adieri Mulaa
Aspirants and elected leaders eager to defend their seats have moved to the drawing board to navigate their course, after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) blew the whistle, setting timelines for the August 10, 2027 General Election process.
It is yet another cycle, where the elections referee has handed voters ample time and the opportunity to sample their prospective leaders and political formations ahead of the polls next year.
The official campaign period will open on Saturday, May 29, 2027 and legally terminate on Saturday, August 7, 2027, IEBC Chairperson of Election Operations Committee, Commissioner Ann Nderitu announced on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
Accordingly, August 7, 2027 timeline will enforce the mandatory 48-hour campaign blackout period ahead of the polling day, said the Commissioner.
The General Election timelines have thrown political parties, the politicians and other stakeholders into a frenzy that will see many political developments in the coming months.
But the IEBC is categorical, that “a public officer who intends to contest in the General Election shall resign from public office within six months before the date of Election, being on or before Tuesday, 9th February, 2027”.
Speaking on Citizen TV’S JK Live show on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi announced that he will not run for political office in next year’s General Election.
Effectively, the erstwhile tough talking John Mbadi has coiled his tail. Resigned to hope and wishful thinking, his survival in government ecosystem now depends on President William Ruto’s re-election in 2027.
The former ODM party national chairman says he hopes President William Ruto will re-appoint to the Cabinet or any other position deemed fit, if he wins a second term.
“I am intending to remain as cabinet secretary, possibly upto 2027 August. I am not going to run for any elective position”, Mbadi said in response to a viewer’s question.
Responding to a question from one of the programme hosts, Ayub Abdikadir, the Treasury Cabinet Secretary was explicit about his case, as the country heads towards a General Election.
“After August, I hope His Excellency the President, after winning, God willing, will still give me what to do. I have taken a conscious decision I believe, not to run”, the former Suba South MP said.
In the unfolding events, ODM top brass including Cabinet Secretaries, held a consultative meeting at Pawa Centre on Thursday, July 2. It was chaired by the party leader, Dr. Oburu Oginga.
According to sources, it was a preliminary session to map out issues concerning the 2027 elections. Those in attendance were the national chairperson Gladys Wanga, the party Leader of Minority in the National Assembly, Junet Mohamed, Cabinet Secretaries Opiyo Wandayi, Wycliffe Oparanya, John Mbadi, and ODM Executive Director Oduor Ong’wen.
“It was an in-house engagement by ODM top leadership” said a source privy to the meeting.
Separately, on Thursday, July 2, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi also had a conversation with Dennis Onyango, a former aide to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, and ODM National Youth Leader, Victor Marende.
“We reminisced about the many lessons and memories from working alongside Baba Raila Odinga over the years”, Mudavadi wrote on his Facebook page.
Commissioner Nderitu unveiled the critical process towards the General Election at an event that was presided over by IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon, to launch the Election Operations Plan (EOP) 2025-2027.
The time keeper has rung the bell, an indication that the five-year elective season is on the final lap towards the polls.
Among the vital dates set out by IEBC, political parties are required to submit their membership lists and schedules for their primaries by March 16, 2027.
Political parties participating in the General Election must also display the names of aspirants contesting in their primaries before the March 16 deadline.
These conditions are seen as some of the safeguard measures by IEBC to cushion aspirants from mischief by their political parties.
Further, the electoral commission has asserted that political parties must complete their primaries and resolve all intra-party disputes by Sunday, May 9, 2027, which is 20 days to the official start of the campaign period.
In Nairobi City, upto eight Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) have declared their interest in scaling the political ladder to the national level, for parliamentary seats.
Kilimani Ward MCA Moses Ogeto (ODM) is aspiring for Dagoretti North seat. He is currently the Majority Whip. Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai (ODM) is eyeing the same seat.
The Minority Whip Antony Kiragu Karanja (UDA) has declared his interest in Dagoretti South seat. He is the MCA for Waithaka Ward. Kitisuru Ward MCA Alvin Palapala (ODM) is gunning for Westlands seat while Mabatini Ward MCA Wilfred Odalo seeks to be elected the next MP for Mathare.
Nairobi City County Assembly Deputy Speaker Kiguathi Kados (Jubilee Party) is angling for Embakasi East constituency.
Lower Savannah Ward MCA Stazo Omung’ala (ODM) is also said to be eyeing Embakasi East seat. Sources have indicated that Utawala Ward MCA Patrick Karani (Jubilee Party) could also join the race for Embakasi East seat.
Their quest is not a surprise though. A precedence was set back in 1988, when David Mwenje was elected the Member of Parliament for Embakasi constituency on KANU ticket. Prior to that, he served as a Councillor for Dandora area, in the now defunct City Council of Nairobi.
He rose to the position of Assistant Minister. In 2002, Mwenje lost to yet another former Councillor, Melitus Mugabe Were. However, Were was gunned down in mysterious circumstances before he took oath of office.
In the by-election, another former Councillor and Deputy Mayor of Nairobi City, Ferdinand Waititu, who had lost the seat in the General Election carried the day.
In the 1997 General Election, former Ngara Ward Councillor, Maina Kamanda was elected the MP for Starehe constituency. He got re-elected in 2002 but lost in 2007.
Kamanda re-captured the seat in the 2013 General Election. He rose to the Cabinet when President Mwai Kibaki appointed him the Minister for Sports.
During the December 2007 General Election, former Mayor of Nairobi City and Maringo Ward Councillor, Dick Wathika was elected the MP for Makadara on a Party of National Unity (PNU) ticket.
The trend of out-going Nairobi City Councillors leaping to the National Assembly continued in subsequent election cycles, with swelling numbers of former Councillors in each cycle.
But flood gates opened in the 2013 General Election, when nine former Nairobi City Councillors were elected to the National Assembly. They dominated several of the newly created parliamentary constituencies on the capital city.
Former Kimathi Ward Councillor Benson Mutura was elected MP for Makadara on The National Alliance (TNA) ticket. George Theuri rose from Umoja Ward to Embakasi West constituency (TNA), James Mwangi Gakuya from Muthurwa Ward to Embakasi North constituency (TNA), former Deputy Mayor John Njoroge Chege transitioned from Kasarani Ward to the newly created Kasarani constituency on TNA ticket.
The current Kisii Governor Simba Arati and Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi served at City Hall as ODM nominated councillors for one term. In 2013, Arati was elected Dagoretti North MP on the party ticket while Wanyonyi won the seat on the same ticket.
Former Nairobi City Mayor John Ndirangu was elevated from Kayole Ward to Embakasi Central constituency on TNA ticket. In 2017, former Nairobi City Mayor George Aladwa was elected MP for Makadara on ODM ticket.
Aladwa was re-elected in 2022. He had previously served as the Councillor for Makongeni on the same party ticket.
Most captivating was the scenario in the the 2022 General Election, where former Member of County Assembly for Matopeni/Spring Valley Ward, in Embakasi Central constituency, Abdi Ibrahim Guyo pulled a fast one to be elected the Governor of Isiolo. Guyo had also served as a Councillor representing the same Ward.
In the guidelines, IEBC has directed that an aspirant intending to participate in the elections as an Independent Candidate, shall not be a member of any registered political party by Sunday, 9th May 2027, being at least three months before the General Election.
Thus, the nomination of both political party and independent candidates will be conducted between Saturday, May 29 and Friday, June 11, 2027.
The nomination papers shall be delivered by the candidates to the Chairperson of IEBC between eight o’clock in the morning and one o’clock in the afternoon, and between two o’clock and four o’clock in the afternoon at a place designated by the Commission, Commissioner Nderitu directed.
All nomination disputes have to be lodged not later that Saturday, June 12, 2027. The IEBC will resolve the disputes within 10 days upon being filed.
