Tana River Governor Dhadho Godhana to vie for presidency on FPK ticket in 2027

Tana River Governor Dhadho Godhana has declared his intention to run for president in the 2027 General Election. (Handout)

Tana River Governor Dhadho Godhana has declared his intention to run for president in the 2027 General Election on a Federal Party of Kenya (FPK) ticket, setting out to expand his political ambitions beyond the Coast region.

Dhadho announced his bid during a grassroots mobilisation drive in Hola, Tana River County, where he met religious leaders at his residence before addressing members of the public at Hola Social Hall.

The governor, who also leads FPK, said he was rebuilding the party and working to strengthen its presence ahead of the next General Election.

He called on Kenyans, particularly those from the Coast, to support the party, which he said would represent regional interests while maintaining a national outlook.

Dhadho said FPK had attracted interest from aspirants seeking tickets for various elective positions, with 576 hopefuls from 22 counties having approached the party.

According to the figures he provided, the group includes 355 aspirants for Members of County Assembly seats, 170 seeking parliamentary seats, 19 interested in senatorial positions, 17 women representative hopefuls and 15 gubernatorial aspirants.

The numbers suggest an attempt to establish a political network beyond Tana River and the wider Coast region, although the party’s ability to turn the reported interest into electoral support remains to be seen.

Dhadho said FPK had remained largely inactive before efforts to revive and rebrand it began. He linked the party to the late opposition leader Raila Odinga, saying it had been formed by the former prime minister but had not established a strong public presence.

The governor said a membership registration exercise was being planned as part of efforts to build the party’s grassroots structures. He did not provide a date for the exercise or announce when the party would hold its major launch.

The mobilisation meetings drew aspirants from Tana River, Lamu, Kilifi, Mombasa, Kwale, Taita Taveta and Kisumu counties, according to the party.

Dhadho’s presidential declaration comes as political figures and parties begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections. His bid will require FPK to build recognition and support across the country if it is to compete beyond its regional base.

The governor also chairs Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani, a regional bloc bringing together Coast counties. However, his presidential ambitions are being pursued through FPK, which he says is being rebuilt to provide a political platform with a national reach.

The party’s next challenge will be to establish its membership structures and demonstrate that the aspirants who have approached it can translate their interest into an organised campaign ahead of the polls.