The defection of Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan from Jubilee to Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party has added another twist to Nairobi’s political contest ahead of the 2027 elections.
But Jubilee leaders in the capital are playing down the significance of his departure.
Paul Kados, the Jubilee MCA for Mihango and Nairobi County Assembly deputy speaker, said the party would not be distracted by individual defections. He said its priority was to rebuild its grassroots structures and prepare for the next election.
“The party will field candidates in all elective seats across Nairobi,” Kados said, signalling that Jubilee intends to remain a serious force in the capital.
Kados has also dismissed the exits of several Jubilee figures to DCP, arguing that the party should concentrate on growing its membership rather than dwelling on those who have left.
His comments came after Hassan was formally welcomed into DCP by Gachagua at the party’s headquarters in Lavington on Tuesday.
Hassan, who won the Kamukunji seat on a Jubilee ticket in the 2022 General Election, said he had joined DCP because he believed it offered a different political direction.
He cited concerns over the cost of living and corruption, saying residents in his constituency were tired of what he described as “bad politics”.
“I am happy to join the DCP because it is a party that wants what is best for the country and seeks to bring real change for Kenyans,” Hassan said.
His move gives DCP an elected MP with a long-established political base in Nairobi. Hassan has represented Kamukunji for several terms and has remained a prominent figure in the constituency.
For Gachagua, the arrival of Hassan is another step in efforts to expand DCP’s presence beyond its established political strongholds. Other Nairobi politicians have also rallied behind the party in recent days.
Jubilee, meanwhile, has been reorganising its leadership and seeking to rebuild its political machinery ahead of 2027. The party has described the changes as part of a wider effort to strengthen its structures and grassroots presence.
Kados’s position reflects that strategy. Rather than treating Hassan’s departure as a major blow, Jubilee is presenting it as part of the political movement that accompanies an approaching election.
The stakes, however, are rising.
Hassan’s move gives DCP an incumbent MP in Nairobi at a time when Gachagua is seeking to broaden the party’s national appeal. For Jubilee, the immediate challenge is to hold on to its remaining support and convince voters and candidates that the party still has a place in the capital’s increasingly crowded political field.
With the 2027 election approaching, Nairobi is likely to become an important battleground for parties seeking to demonstrate their strength.
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