Mike Sonko Launches New Political Party, Sets Sights on 2027 Elections

Nairobi — Mike Sonko’s political comeback took a significant step forward on Tuesday when the former Nairobi governor secured official recognition for his newly formed National Economic Development Party, marking his return to the political arena nearly five years after his dramatic ouster from City Hall.

The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties formally approved NEDP’s registration at its Westlands offices, handing Sonko the credentials that will allow his outfit to contest future elections and recruit members across the country.

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Building a New Political Vehicle

Speaking immediately after receiving the registration certificate, Sonko unveiled the party’s interim leadership structure that will steer the organization until internal elections are held. Dr. Nyamu was designated as interim chairman, while Ben Mulua will serve as secretary general during the transitional period.

The former governor emphasized that these appointments represent temporary arrangements designed to establish the party’s operational framework. He pledged that democratic elections would be conducted to select permanent officeholders, signaling an attempt to distance his new venture from accusations of top-down control that have plagued other personality-driven political movements.

Youth-Centered Strategy

Sonko made youth engagement the centerpiece of his launch message, issuing a direct appeal to young Kenyans to participate in the upcoming voter registration exercises ahead of the 2027 general election. The focus on Kenya’s demographic majority reflects broader trends in the country’s political landscape, where youth mobilization has increasingly determined electoral outcomes.

The NEDP leader promised that his party would champion economic transformation as its core mandate, positioning the outfit as a vehicle for Kenyans seeking alternatives to established political formations. He declared that the party would field competitive candidates in constituencies nationwide, suggesting ambitions that extend beyond regional strongholds.

The Road Back from Impeachment

Sonko’s political resurrection has been years in the making. His time as Nairobi’s chief executive ended abruptly in December 2020 when county assembly members voted overwhelmingly to remove him from office on charges including gross misconduct, abuse of office, and crimes under national law.

The Senate subsequently upheld that impeachment, effectively barring him from holding any public office. Kenya’s courts have consistently rejected his legal challenges to overturn the removal, leaving him sidelined from formal political competition even as he maintained a visible public profile through social media and charitable activities.

However, Sonko has hinted at pursuing further legal avenues to challenge the impeachment’s validity. Any successful reversal could dramatically alter the calculus surrounding his political future and potentially open pathways to contesting for office in 2027.

Economic Messaging in Uncertain Times

The party’s name reflects Sonko’s attempt to position NEDP as focused on bread-and-butter issues rather than the ethnic and personality-driven politics that have traditionally dominated Kenya’s electoral landscape. Economic anxiety has intensified across the country amid rising living costs, unemployment, and widespread frustration with governance outcomes.

Whether Sonko can translate his undeniable name recognition and populist appeal into sustainable party infrastructure remains uncertain. Previous attempts by prominent individuals to build political vehicles outside established formations have yielded mixed results, with many struggling to expand beyond their founders’ personal brands.

Questions About Electoral Viability

The registration marks only the first step in what promises to be a challenging journey for NEDP. The party must now demonstrate its capacity to attract members, secure funding, establish county-level structures, and develop policy positions that resonate beyond Sonko’s existing support base.

More fundamentally, the legal cloud hanging over Sonko’s eligibility to hold office creates ambiguity about the party’s strategic direction. If courts maintain their position that his impeachment stands, NEDP would need to field alternative candidates for major positions while leveraging Sonko’s popularity as a campaigner rather than a candidate.

Opposition to his return is likely to be fierce. Critics who supported his removal from the governor’s office have already begun questioning whether someone barred from public office should be allowed to lead a political party, though no legal prohibition exists on that front.

A Crowded Political Marketplace

Sonko’s entry into party politics comes as Kenya’s political landscape undergoes significant realignment ahead of 2027. Established parties are jockeying for position, new coalitions are forming, and politicians across the spectrum are calculating their options in what promises to be a highly competitive election cycle.

NEDP will compete for attention and resources in an environment where numerous parties claim to represent change, youth interests, and economic transformation. Standing out in that crowded marketplace will require more than celebrity appeal and social media savvy.

For now, Sonko has achieved his immediate objective: a registered party that gives him a platform to shape political conversations and potentially influence outcomes even if he cannot personally appear on the ballot. How effectively he leverages that platform will determine whether NEDP becomes a consequential force or another footnote in Kenya’s history of personality-driven political experiments.

The coming months will reveal whether the former governor’s new political vehicle can build the organizational muscle necessary to compete seriously in 2027—or whether this represents simply another chapter in one of Kenya’s most colorful and controversial political careers.

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