7 Kenyan Indian Politicians And Leaders Who Could One Day Become President
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As Kenya gears up for the 2027 general election, several Kenyan Indian politicians have built impressive careers in politics.
But could one of them eventually become President of Kenya?
In this article, WoK reviews 7 Kenyan Indian politicians and leaders who could one day become president
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Shakeel Shabbir
Shakeel Shabbir is one of the most experienced Kenyan politicians of Indian origin.
He has represented Kisumu East Constituency since 2008, having clinched the seat during the December 2007 General Election.
Shabbir also served as mayor of Kisumu between 2004 and 2005.
According to his official parliamentary profile, he holds qualifications in business administration, management and political science.
In the 2022 General Election, Shabbir contested as an independent candidate and secured 35,704 votes, beating ODM candidates and winning his fourth consecutive parliamentary term.
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Abdul Rahim Dawood
Abdul Rahim Dawood has been a Member of Parliament for North Imenti Constituency in Meru County since 2013.
Before entering Parliament, Dawood served as a councillor in the former Meru Municipal Council between 2007 and 2013.
Dawood holds a master’s degree in business administration from Kenya Methodist University.
He has successfully defended his parliamentary seat twice, including in 2022, when he contested as an independent candidate.
He has previously expressed interest in contesting for the Meru gubernatorial seat.
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Nazlin Umar
Nazlin Umar is one of the few Kenyan-Asian politicians who have attempted to contest for the presidency.
She contested the December 2007 presidential election on the Workers Congress Party of Kenya ticket. She was the only female presidential candidate on the ballot.
Her opponents included Mwai Kibaki, Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka.
Umar received 8,624 votes, finishing sixth among nine presidential candidates.
She also served as the Woman Representative for Mombasa County between 2017 and 2022 under the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
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Swarup Mishra
Swarup Ranjan Mishra, aka Kiprop Mishra, is a medical doctor, businessman, and former Member of Parliament for Kesses Constituency in Uasin Gishu County.
He was born in Odisha, India, and moved to Kenya in 1997 to pursue his medical career.
He worked at Moi University before establishing the Mediheal Group of Hospitals.
In 2017, he won the Kesses parliamentary seat on a Jubilee Party ticket.
However, he lost the seat in 2022 after contesting as an independent candidate.
Should he choose to vie for the presidential seat, Mishra may face a tougher challenge than other candidates in this list because Kenya requires presidential candidates to be citizens by birth.
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Sonia Birdi
Sonia Birdi made history in 2013 when she became the first woman of Asian origin to serve in Kenya’s National Assembly.
She entered Parliament as a nominated legislator through the United Republican Party, which was led by William Ruto.
Before joining politics, Birdi was working as a journalist at East FM.
Sonia Birdi was born in Nairobi to a Sikh family of Punjabi Indian heritage. Her parents are Surinder Birdi and Kuljiridei Birdi.
She studied in Kenya and India and holds an MBA from Sheffield Hallam University in the United Kingdom.
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Vimal Shah
Vimal Shah is the co-founder and chairman of Bidco Africa, the company behind major household brands like Kimbo, Elianto, GoldenFry, among others.
Although Vimal was born in Nyeri in 1960, his family traces its roots to Gujarat, India, having settled in Kenya during the colonial era.
Although Shah has never held elected political office, he is one of the most influential Kenyans of Indian descent.
He has previously served as chairman of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and the East African Business Council.
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Manu Chandaria
Manu Chandaria is one of Kenya’s most prominent industrialists and philanthropists.
He is a former CEO of the Comcraft Group, a conglomerate that deals in the manufacture of steel, aluminium, plastic, among other products.
Born in Nairobi in 1929, Chandria hails from a family of Indian descent that migrated from Gujarat, India, to East Africa.
Over the years, he has supported numerous schools, hospitals, and community projects.
He is a recipient of several national and international honours, including the Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear (EBS).
