Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has escalated his grassroots mobilisation drive in Isiolo County, positioning his young outfit, the National Empowerment and Development Party (NEDP), as an emerging force ahead of the February 26 by-elections.
In the calculated expansion strategy, Sonko has taken his campaigns beyond Nairobi’s traditional political turf and into competitive rural battlegrounds, where four mini-polls are set to test party structures and voter loyalty.
At the centre of the northern push is Isiolo South Constituency, where NEDP has fronted Isack Abduba Fayo for the parliamentary seat.
Sonko personally led rallies in Garbatulla, framing the contest as more than a local race but a referendum on whether NEDP can translate visibility into victory.
His campaign blended fiery populist rhetoric with on-the-ground interventions, including donations to vulnerable families and pledges to support water access projects,school fees intervention and many others.
The strategy for NEDP involves dominating the optics, energise local networks, and project it as a party that delivers tangible impact before ballots are cast.
Multi-Front Assault Across the Country.
The February 26 by-elections, organised by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), will be held in four areas:
Isiolo South Constituency( MP seat),Muminji Ward (Mbeere North, Embu County)
Evurore Ward (Mbeere North, Embu County),West Kabras Ward (Malava Constituency, Kakamega County).
In Muminji Ward, NEDP has fielded Newton Kariuki Njeru, adding to the party’s presence in Embu County.
In neighbouring Evurore Ward, the party is backing Martin Muriuki, positioning him as part of a broader youth-driven local leadership shift.
Meanwhile, in West Kabras Ward in Kakamega County, NEDP has nominated Benard Mulinya as its candidate, marking the party’s entry into the politically competitive Western Kenya region.
Strategy Beyond Symbolism
Unlike established parties relying on legacy networks, Sonko’s approach appears heavily personality-driven and logistics-focused.
By physically leading tours in counties far from his Nairobi base, he is attempting to collapse the distance between party headquarters and the grassroots.
Analysts say the aggressive deployment of candidates in all four by-elections signals that NEDP is not testing waters — it is staking territory.
The IEBC has confirmed preparations are complete, with ballot materials dispatched and polling officials trained, setting the stage for what could be a defining moment for smaller parties seeking to expand influence.
For Sonko, the by-elections offer more than seats as they provide a political rehabilitation platform and a chance to rebrand himself from embattled former governor to national party leader.
The high-frequency rallies, direct voter contact, and visible resource mobilisation are rapidly lifting NEDP’s profile in regions where it previously had minimal footprint.
Whether the strategy converts into electoral wins will be decided on February 26. But one fact is increasingly evident — through relentless grassroots engagement, Sonko has forced his party into the national by-election spotlight.
