DNK International By Our Correspondent, Nairobi
Veteran politician Maina Kamanda has built a political career spanning more than four decades, rising from a Nairobi City councillor to Starehe Member of Parliament, Cabinet minister and one of the veteran figures who have remained influential in Nairobi and national politics.
Born in 1951, Kamanda began his primary education at Kagaa Primary School, where he studied between 1964 and 1970, before joining City High School for his O-level studies from 1971 to 1974.
He later continued with further studies, obtaining a General Certificate of Education through correspondence in the United Kingdom in 2002.
He subsequently pursued county governance studies at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and obtained a Higher National Diploma from Stratford Business School.
He later graduated with a degree in Business Administration from Swiss Management Centre University in 2021.
Before entering elective politics, Kamanda worked in the hospitality industry, serving as an assistant manager at Stag’s Head Hotel before becoming manager of Hillcrest Hotel.
He also worked as a personal assistant to former Westlands MP Wachira Waweru in the 1970’s, an experience that exposed him to the workings of politics and public leadership.
In 1979, Kamanda entered Nairobi politics after being elected councillor for Ngara Ward.
He spent about 15 years at City Hall, gaining first hand experience in Nairobi’s complex political environment.
The position of councillor was later transformed into the Member of County Assembly (MCA) position under the 2010 Constitution.
His years at City Hall established him as a powerful grassroots mobiliser and gave him the confidence to pursue national elective politics.
He became a Member of Parliament for Starehe in the 1997 General Election after defeating Stephen Mwangi.
In 2002, Kamanda joined the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), which defeated KANU and ended President Daniel arap Moi’s 24-year rule.
He successfully defended his Starehe seat and became part of the new administration under President Mwai Kibaki.
Kamanda developed a close political relationship with Kibaki and became one of the key figures in mobilising support for the President in Nairobi.
His ability to organise grassroots networks, particularly in the capital, earned him considerable influence within the Kibaki administration.
He was appointed Assistant Minister for Local Government in 2004 before being elevated to Cabinet Minister for Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services in 2005, a position he held until 2007.
As minister, Kamanda was involved in government programmes touching on sports, gender, culture and social services.
His tenure also enhanced his national profile and gave him an opportunity to work directly with senior government officials and political leaders.
Kamanda has often recalled his humble beginnings when explaining his rise in politics.
He once told Daily News Kenya-International that , “I am the real hustler. I went through hell before I became a councillor.”
His political journey suffered a major setback in the 2007 General Election when he lost the Starehe parliamentary seat to Bid Margaret Wanjiru of ODM.
Kamanda challenged the result and a subsequent recount triggered a long running electoral dispute, but Wanjiru eventually retained the seat.
Despite the defeat, Kamanda remained active in politics and made a major comeback in 2013 when he reclaimed Starehe on the TNA ticket, becoming part of the Jubilee political establishment associated with President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto.
In 2017, Kamanda lost the Jubilee nomination and subsequently lost the parliamentary election to musician turned politician Charles Kanyi, popularly known as Jaguar.
However, his political career was far from over.
He was nominated to the National Assembly by the Jubilee Party, allowing him to continue serving in Parliament.
During the 2017–2022 Parliament, Kamanda chaired the Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity and became one of the prominent politicians supporting the political cooperation between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga following the 2018 handshake.
The transition from being a long time Kibaki and Uhuru ally to working closely with Raila demonstrated Kamanda’s ability to build relationships across political formations.
He became one of the prominent leaders campaigning for the Building Bridges Initiative and mobilising support for Raila in parts of Central Kenya.
His political philosophy has often centred on personal relationships, political networks and grassroots mobilisation.
Kamanda has repeatedly argued that political leaders should understand the importance of building bridges rather than permanently remaining in opposing camps.
In the run up to the 2022 General Election, Kamanda declared his intention to contest the Nairobi senatorial seat.
However, the Azimio coalition eventually settled on Edwin Sifuna as its Senate candidate.
Following the 2022 elections, Kamanda remained active in national politics and later aligned himself with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
His long experience in Nairobi and national politics made him one of the veteran figures consulted on matters concerning the political direction of the Mt Kenya region.
When Gachagua established the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), Kamanda was appointed chairman of the party’s Council of Eminent Persons, giving him a senior advisory role within the new political organisation.
Kamanda has since emerged as one of the experienced politicians helping Gachagua navigate the complicated political terrain ahead of the 2027 General Election.
His role is particularly significant because of his long experience working with different political leaders, including Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga.
His relationship with Gachagua is also part of a broader effort by the former Deputy President to bring experienced politicians and community elders into his political camp.
Kamanda’s political career has therefore been characterised by survival, reinvention and alliances.
He has survived electoral defeats, changes of political parties and shifts in national political power while maintaining a presence in Nairobi politics.
He has worked with KANU, the Democratic Party, NARC, TNA, Jubilee and later the DCP, reflecting the changing political landscape of Kenya over several decades.
His relationship with Kibaki was built around political mobilisation and loyalty during the former President’s rise to power.
With Uhuru, Kamanda became part of the Jubilee political establishment, while his cooperation with Raila during the handshake period demonstrated his willingness to work with leaders who had previously been political opponents.
Kamanda has also maintained relationships with numerous other political leaders, using his long experience in Nairobi politics to advise and mobilise support for different political causes.
One of his most memorable statements came during the BBI political debate when he warned then Deputy President William Ruto and now President: “Pride comes before a fall.”
He also famously recalled his early support for Kibaki, saying: “I had seen the man who would save Kenya.”
His political story has not been without controversy.
He has at various times been accused by political opponents of changing political alliances, but Kamanda has consistently defended his movements as being guided by political realities and the interests of his supporters.
Beyond Parliament and Government, his greatest political strength has arguably been his grassroots network in Nairobi.
His years as a councillor gave him a deep understanding of the city’s wards, communities, businesses and political structures.
That experience helped him transition from City Hall politics to Parliament and eventually to Cabinet.
His career also demonstrates how Nairobi’s local politics can provide a launching pad for national leadership.
From Ngara councillor to Starehe MP, Cabinet minister and nominated MP, Kamanda has occupied several levels of Kenya’s political system.
As Kenya approaches the 2027 General Election, Kamanda remains active in politics and is seeking to re-establish himself as un elected political leader while continuing to serve in an advisory capacity within Gachagua’s political formation.
At an age when many politicians have retired from active politics, Kamanda remains involved in political mobilisation and consultations, drawing on the experience accumulated from more than 40 years in public life.
His journey from a young man who struggled with poverty, through the hospitality industry and City Hall, to Parliament, Cabinet and senior political advisory roles, has made him one of the enduring figures in Nairobi’s political history.
Maina Kamanda’s political legacy is therefore defined not only by the positions he has held, but also by his ability to remain relevant through changing administrations, political alliances and electoral fortunes.
From Kibaki to Uhuru, Raila and now Gachagua, his career reflects the changing alliances that have shaped Kenya’s politics for more than four decades.
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🗓️ [Daily News Kenya-International@September 29,2026]
