Poll Puts Julius Mawathe at Risk as Samwel Masaki Takes Lead in Embakasi South

Embakasi South MP Julius Mawathe could face a tough re-election battle in the 2027 General Election after a new opinion poll placed Linda Mwananchi Movement aspirant Samwel Masaki ahead of him.

The survey conducted by Kenyan research firm Politrack Africa and released on Thursday, November 5, showed Masaki commanding 38.8% support among respondents, putting him in first place.

Mawathe, who currently holds the parliamentary seat on a Wiper Patriotic Front ticket, came second with 26.2%, leaving a gap of 12.6 percentage points between the two candidates.

ODM’s Jared Okello ranked third with 17.6%, while independent aspirant Victor Ochieng Ongweno, who is yet to declare his political affiliation, garnered 12.3%.

Other candidates collectively received 1.8% support, while 3.7% of respondents remained undecided.

Who Is Samwel Masaki?

Masaki first attracted 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.

His 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.

The latest Politrack Africa survey suggests that Masaki has since gained considerable ground and is now emerging as a leading contender for the constituency’s parliamentary seat.

Who Is Julius Mawathe?

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.

The decision paved the way for a by-election held on April 5, 2019, which Mawathe won, allowing him to retain the seat.

During his time in Parliament, Mawathe has 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.