Karen Nyamu declares Nairobi Woman Rep bid, to start campaigns in November

Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has declared her intention to contest the Nairobi Woman Representative seat in the 2027 General Election, setting the stage for a contest against incumbent Esther Passaris.

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) senator said she would begin her campaign in November 2026, explaining that she had deliberately delayed her political mobilisation to avoid exhausting her supporters and herself before the election season gathers momentum.

Speaking on Radio Generation on Friday, October 23, Nyamu said she had carefully considered when to enter the campaign trail.

“I’m actually vying for Woman Rep Position for Nairobi. I’m planning to start campaigning in November. I’ve been holding back because you know in politics, timing is everything. You can get burnout very early before even the game starts,” she added.

Nyamu said her agenda would focus on expanding economic opportunities for women and helping young mothers acquire skills to support themselves and their children.

She argued that investing in women’s economic empowerment would also improve the welfare of children and families, particularly in disadvantaged communities across Nairobi.

“I really want to make sure that women are thriving in business,” Nyamu said, pointing to the importance of financial support in helping women establish and sustain businesses.

The senator also highlighted the challenges facing young mothers in informal settlements, saying some girls leave school before completing their secondary education after becoming pregnant.

She said many subsequently reach adulthood without marketable skills or reliable means of providing for their children, leaving them struggling to secure their livelihoods.

“I would like to empower them,” the Senator said, outlining her intention to support young mothers in acquiring skills that could help them become financially independent.

Nyamu’s announcement sets up a potential contest with Passaris, who has represented Nairobi women in the National Assembly since 2017 after winning the seat in that year’s General Election and retaining it in 2022.

In August 2026, Passaris abandoned an earlier plan to seek the Makadara parliamentary seat and announced that she would instead defend her Woman Representative position in the next election.

The seat is reserved for women under Kenya’s constitutional affirmative action framework, which seeks to strengthen women’s representation in the National Assembly.

With both politicians positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 polls, the Nairobi Woman Representative race is expected to feature competing proposals on women’s economic empowerment and support for vulnerable groups.

Nyamu’s proposed November campaign start will mark the beginning of her public mobilisation for the seat, with her stated priorities centred on business opportunities for women and skills development for young mothers.