Nairobi County Woman Representative Esther Passaris announced on Wednesday, 19 November 2025, that she will not seek re-election for her seat in the upcoming 2027 General Election. In a surprising political manoeuvre, the two-term Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) legislator publicly endorsed Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) as her preferred successor.

The announcement was made during a public event in Nairobi. Ms. Passaris stated that her decision was based on the principle that the Woman Representative position is an affirmative action seat which she believes should be held for a maximum of two terms to allow for new leadership. “I said I was not going to run for Woman Rep again and the reason why I'm not going to run again in 2027 is because it is an affirmative action seat. If I have done it for two terms I need to look for something else to do,” Passaris explained.

Addressing Ms. Nyamu directly at the event, Passaris offered a clear endorsement, urging the UDA senator to declare her candidacy without hesitation. “Karen is one of the contenders for Woman Rep; don't come here and say, 'I'm thinking', you are running. I wish you all the best,” she stated.

Cross-Party Endorsement Raises Questions

The endorsement is particularly significant as it crosses the political divide. Ms. Passaris is a prominent member of the ODM party, a key player in the opposition Azimio La Umoja coalition. In contrast, Ms. Nyamu is a nominated senator for the UDA party, which is President William Ruto's party and the anchor of the ruling Kenya Kwanza administration. This move signals a potential political realignment and has sparked debate on party loyalty and coalition politics as the 2027 election cycle begins to take shape.

This development comes after Ms. Passaris has publicly defended her decision to work with President Ruto's government, stating in July 2025 that her leadership is guided by development priorities rather than personal or political grudges. Her cooperative stance with the ruling administration has been a point of discussion within opposition circles, which are currently navigating their own future following the death of their longtime leader. ODM's new leadership has vowed to lead the party into government in 2027, and Ms. Passaris's early endorsement of a UDA candidate for a key Nairobi seat complicates this picture.

Implications for Nairobi Politics

Ms. Passaris was first elected as Nairobi Woman Representative in 2017 and was re-elected in the 2022 general election. Her tenure has focused on women's empowerment and youth initiatives, though it has also seen controversy, including the recent sponsorship of the contentious Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which drew public outcry for seeking to regulate demonstrations. A petition to recall her was submitted to the IEBC in July 2025 in response to the bill.

The position of County Woman Representative was created by the 2010 Constitution to increase female representation in the National Assembly. The holder of the office is mandated to represent the interests of the county's population in the National Assembly, with a particular focus on championing the rights of women and girls and managing the National Government Affirmative Action Fund at the county level.

Ms. Passaris's early declaration and endorsement of Ms. Nyamu effectively fires the starting gun for the 2027 race for this influential legislative position in Kenya's capital, a county with over 2.4 million registered voters. It gives Ms. Nyamu a significant head start while potentially unsettling political calculations within both the ruling and opposition coalitions, which are already witnessing the registration of dozens of new political parties in preparation for the next election.