Hon. Alvin Olando Palapala's Consistent Popularity Continues to Unsettle Rivals
Kitisuru MCA Hon. Alvin Olando Palapala has once again been confirmed as the leading contender in the race for the Westlands Parliamentary seat, according to the latest opinion poll findings, reinforcing his position as the most preferred aspirant ahead of the next General Election.
The latest survey, conducted by Intouch Polls Kenya and commissioned by one of the parliamentary aspirants in the constituency, places Palapala ahead of the pack with a preference rating of 39 percent among respondents.
The findings have further strengthened the perception that the Kitisuru MCA remains the most popular parliamentary aspirant in Westlands, a development that political observers say has increasingly become a source of concern among his main rivals.
According to sources familiar within the survey, the research was conducted across all five official wards that make up Westlands Constituency: Kitisuru, Parklands/Highridge, Karura, Kangemi, and Mountain View. Approximately 2,000 respondents from each ward ( 10,000) were interviewed and asked identical questions regarding political party affiliation and their preferred candidate for the parliamentary seat among others.
Interestingly, the survey was not exclusively designed to measure the parliamentary race. However, the data collected offered valuable insights into the political mood of Westlands voters and highlighted the growing influence of Palapala across the constituency.
The research further established that ODM remains the most popular political party in Westlands, enjoying a commanding 57 percent support among respondents. UDA emerged second with 22 percent support, while other political formations shared the remaining percentage.
Political analysts argue that these party preference figures could significantly influence the parliamentary contest.
A closer examination of the survey indicates that a considerable number of respondents who currently support other parliamentary aspirants stated that they would ultimately back the candidate nominated by ODM. This trend suggests that should Palapala secure the ODM ticket, he could potentially attract support beyond his current base, further strengthening his position in the race.
The survey ranked the other parliamentary aspirants as follows:
Bernard Mwonyonyo – 14%
Nelson Havi – 14%
Mike Gumo – 13%
Moses Mudavadi – 12%
Former Law Society of Kenya President Nelson Havi, despite his national profile and active political campaigns in the constituency, continues to register relatively modest support compared to Palapala's consistent lead in the polls.
With the current Member of Parliament, Hon. Tim Wanyonyi, having shifted his political focus elsewhere, the Westlands parliamentary seat is increasingly shaping up to be one of Nairobi's most closely watched political battlegrounds ahead of the 2027 General Election.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, all eyes will be on the ODM nomination process and the party's relationship with UDA, which remains the second-most popular party in the constituency.
The manner in which alliances, endorsements, and party strategies unfold could play a significant role in determining the race's eventual outcome.
For now, however, the latest opinion poll suggests that Hon. Alvin Olando Palapala has established an early advantage that his competitors will find difficult to ignore as the battle for Westlands gathers momentum.