A recent opinion poll conducted by Kenyan research firm Politrack Africa has revealed that Linda Mwananchi Movement aspirant Samwel Masaki is currently leading Embakasi South MP Julius Mawathe in the 2027 General Election. The survey, released on Thursday, November 5, shows Masaki commanding 38.8% support among respondents, while Mawathe, who currently holds the parliamentary seat on a Wiper Patriotic Front ticket, garnered 26.2%.
The poll indicates a 12.6 percentage point gap between Masaki and Mawathe, with ODM’s Jared Okello ranking third with 17.6% support. Independent aspirant Victor Ochieng Ongweno, who has yet to declare his political affiliation, received 12.3% support. Other candidates collectively received 1.8% support, while 3.7% of respondents remained undecided. This suggests that the race in Embakasi South is likely to be closely contested.
Samwel Masaki first gained national attention ahead of the 2013 General Election after being appointed Secretary General of the Jubilee Party Youth League, a position he held until 2019. He has since built a profile as one of Nairobi’s younger and more vocal political figures. Masaki’s first attempt to capture the Embakasi South parliamentary seat came during the April 2019 by-election, when he contested as an independent candidate but finished third.
Julius Mawathe, an accountant by profession, first won the Embakasi South parliamentary seat in the 2017 General Election on a Wiper Democratic Movement-Kenya ticket. However, his victory was overturned in April 2019 after the court nullified the election results following a petition filed by his rival, Irshadali Sumra. Mawathe won the subsequent by-election held on April 5, 2019, and has since served on the Public Accounts Committee and the Departmental Committee on Energy, Communications and Information.
The latest poll points to a competitive race in Embakasi South, with Masaki enjoying a lead over the incumbent. Okello and Ongweno have also registered significant support, potentially setting the stage for a closely contested election. The results suggest that voters in Embakasi South are considering multiple options, and the election outcome is far from certain.
Masaki’s rise in popularity is notable, given that he has gained considerable ground since his first attempt to capture the Embakasi South parliamentary seat in 2019. His current lead in the polls indicates that he is emerging as a leading contender for the constituency’s parliamentary seat. The poll results also highlight the challenges facing Mawathe, who will need to work hard to regain his lead.
The Embakasi South constituency is likely to be a key battleground in the 2027 General Election, with multiple candidates vying for the parliamentary seat. The poll results suggest that the election will be closely contested, and the outcome will depend on various factors, including voter turnout and the campaigns’ strategies.
Key points
- Samwel Masaki leads Julius Mawathe by 12.6 percentage points in the Embakasi South poll.
- The poll suggests a competitive race in Embakasi South, with multiple candidates registering significant support.
- Samwel Masaki has gained considerable ground since his first attempt to capture the Embakasi South parliamentary seat in 2019.
