Bishop Margaret Wanjiru has today formally declared her intention to run for the position of Nairobi Governor in the 2027 general election.
The announcement, made under the banner of the Kenya Moja Movement and linked to what supporters are calling The Nairobi Declaration, marks her return to active electoral politics after a period focused on other public roles, including her recent work with the Nairobi Rivers Commission.
Wanjiru, the founder of Jesus Is Alive Ministries and a former Member of Parliament for Starehe Constituency, presented her bid as a practical response to the everyday difficulties faced by residents of the capital.
She spoke of a city that needs leadership willing to walk the wards and address problems where people actually live, rather than remaining distant from the realities on the ground.
Her agenda centres on several connected priorities. She has stressed the need for cleaner neighbourhoods and better management of waste, arguing that a cleaner environment improves daily life and public health. Reliable water supply and improved sanitation feature strongly, as do efforts to ensure food markets meet proper hygiene and safety standards so traders and customers can operate with confidence.
Infrastructure and safety also form part of her outline. Wanjiru has pointed to the importance of better roads that reach beyond the main thoroughfares into estates and informal settlements, along with expanded street lighting to make neighbourhoods and markets safer after dark.
She has linked these measures to support for local businesses, noting that a more predictable and secure environment helps attract investment while protecting the livelihoods of those already working in the city, particularly market traders who form a large part of Nairobi’s economy.
On jobs and services, she has spoken of creating conditions that allow more employment opportunities and of strengthening healthcare and education.
Quality schooling is presented as essential for the next generation, while better-equipped clinics and support for frontline emergency workers are listed among the practical steps needed. She has also mentioned measures aimed at improving county revenue collection, such as automating public parking to reduce leakages, and building stronger links between the county government, universities and research centres so that policies can rest on clearer evidence.
Throughout, the emphasis has been on inclusive development that does not leave certain areas behind and on accountable leadership that judges success by results residents can see in their own communities.
Wanjiru has framed the campaign as one focused on solutions rather than rhetoric, drawing on her experience both as a long-time religious leader in the city and as someone who has previously held elective office.
The declaration comes at a time when several other figures are also positioning themselves for the Nairobi gubernatorial race.
Supporters of the Kenya Moja Movement are presenting her entry as an offer of steady, service-oriented leadership for a city that continues to face familiar pressures around housing, transport, services and opportunity.
Whether this message gains wider traction will depend on how the campaign develops in the months ahead, but for now the bishop has placed her name firmly in the conversation about who will lead Nairobi next.
