National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah and Secretary General Hassan Omar welcomed him into the party. Karauri announced the move in a statement on Monday, November 9.
He said UDA offered the best platform to serve Nairobi residents. He wrote that he weighed his options before choosing the party.
Karauri said the broad-based government's "Usawa ni sawa" policy guides his approach. He argues that the policy gives every citizen a place and every ward a voice.
He also says he can unite Nairobi's diverse communities behind one shared vision.
Karauri did not hide his criticism of the current governor. He accused Johnson Sakaja of failing Nairobi through an unsuccessful plan.
He also said he served Kasarani as an Independent MP and thanked voters for their trust. "Nairobi has not worked, We want a better Nairobi!" he said.
Ichung'wah said President William Ruto asked him to welcome Karauri personally. He also predicted that UDA will win the Nairobi governorship in 2027. He pointed out that the party held the seat in 2022 and expects to repeat that success.
Karauri's move comes days after Sakaja left UDA for ODM, its partner in the broad-based government. Sakaja said Nairobi is an ODM zone and that the late Raila Odinga influenced his decision.
Several other politicians have also declared interest in the Nairobi governorship. They include Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, and Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku. The race for State House's most crowded city seat is clearly heating up.
