Arthur Johnson Koskei Sakaja is a young Kenyan politician and businessman who is the current Nairobi City County governor since 25 August 2022. He is a member of the ruling party, United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Mr. Sakaja previously served as the Nairobi senator from 2017 to 2022 by The National Alliance (TNA) party. Before that he was a dominated Member of the National Assembly by the TNA party from 2013 to 2017. He served as the TNA party chairman from 2012 until September 2016, when TNA joined other 12 political parties to form the Jubilee Coalition.
Sakaja is as well the CEO of Arthur Johnson Consultants. This is a financial consultancy firm he set up during his fourth year in university.
Johnson Sakaja Age and Birthday
Sakaja was Born in 2 February 1985 in Parklands, Nairobi, Kenya. He is 39 years old as at 2024. His zodiac is Aquarius.
Johnson Sakaja Family
Parents and Siblings
Sakaja is the last-born in a three sibling family. Little is known about his two elder sisters. Arthur’s parents are John G. Sakaja (father) and the late Emily Ayoti Kubasi (mother).
His father John worked at Firestone Company (now Sameer Africa) as a marketing manager.
Johnson’s mother Emily was an employee of the Kenya Prison Service and a renowned short distance athlete. She won several medals in the 1960s and 1970s. She became the East African champion in 200 M race, after winning a gold in the 1971 Championships. However she died at an early age of 41 while her son was only 9 years old.
Wife and Children
Johnstone is happily married to his loving wife Beatrice Sakaja and together they are blessed with two adorable sons John Basil Sakaja and Tangai Sakaja.
Johnson Sakaja Education
Sakaja went to Aga Khan Nursery and Primary School until1998. He then joined Lenana School from 1999 to 2002 for his secondary education.
He thereafter enrolled in the University of Nairobi and later graduated with a degree in Actuarial Science.
Johnson Sakaja Political Career
Early beginning
His leadership skills where distinctive as early as during his high school and campus days. However, his interest in politics began during his time in time in university where he served as the vice-chairman of the Actuarial Students Association. Soon after he became the Student Organization of Nairobi University (SONU) Chairman.
Sakaja joined national politics in 2005 as a driver in the then president Mwai Kibaki’s political camp. He later became the director of Vijana Na Kibaki which was a youth lobby group under the 2007 Kibaki presidential re-election campaign. Sakaja took the role to oversee counting of votes in Kibaki’s favor in the 2007 general elections.
Active politics
In 2011, he was part of the team which formed The National Alliance (TNA) party. It was this party by which Uhuru Kenyatta won the presidency in 2013. At the age of 27 in 2012, Sakaja became the TNA chairman and consequently the world’s youngest leader of a major political party.
He was a nominated Member of the National Assembly by the TNA party from 2013 to 2017. Sakaja was a member of The House Business Committee. He was as well the chairperson of the Joint Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity.
He was elected as the Nairobi City County senator 2017-2022 by the Jubilee party ticket. While in the Senate, Sakaja was the Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association Chairperson. This is a parliamentary organization that advocates for young leaders mentorship and youth empowerment. He as well served as the Chairperson of Labour and Social Welfare Committee.
In November 2021, Sakaja declared his interest to vie for the Nairobi City gubernatorial seat in the 9 August 2022 general elections. Amid allegations of uncertainty about his academic qualifications, IEBC cleared him to run for the seat in 7 June 2022. He won with a total tally of 699,392 votes against his close competitor Polycarp Igathe who managed to garner 573,516 votes. He was consequently, sworn in as the Nairobi City County governor on 25 August 2022. His deputy governor is James Njoroge Muchiri.
Johnson Sakaja Awards
- Jacob Well Award 2016- Men Impacting Differently.
- African Achievers Award Change maker of the Year 2016.
Johnson Sakaja Net worth
Sakaja’s net worth is estimated to be $5 million as at January 2023.