Raila: No deal yet on Ruto’s 2027 re-election bid

By Newsflash Team

ODM leader Raila Odinga has cautioned party MPs against openly campaigning for President William Ruto’s 2027 re-election bid, stressing that the party retains the option of fielding its own presidential candidate.

In an unexpected move, Odinga reminded members to stick to the March 2025 memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between ODM and Ruto’s UDA, noting that it does not cover the 2027 elections.

“We have not made any resolution as a party on how we shall approach the 2027 polls. So wherever you are, don’t commit the party to decisions not yet discussed,” he said during a parliamentary group meeting yesterday.

He added: “Let discussions be held first. Who told you ODM won’t have a candidate in 2027? Think as ODM. We have a plan already negotiated and agreed on; other decisions will follow at the right time.”

His remarks follow public endorsements of Ruto by a section of ODM figures, including former top officials now serving in the Cabinet.

ODM mulls exit from pact

The meeting also examined a possible exit strategy from the broad-based government, a move seen as acknowledging criticism of ODM’s pact with UDA, championed by Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna.

A PowerPoint presentation to MPs explored the option of quitting the agreement, noting that “if MoU promises are ignored, ODM should publicly reassess the deal.” It stressed that ODM chose the partnership for Kenya’s sake but must not “deflate into silence” as 2027 approaches.

MPs were urged to hold the Executive accountable on bills, the budget, and appointments to show the party still “watches government.”

The presentation stated: “ODM MPs chairing committees should question the Executive. Participate but still scrutinise, especially outside the MoU. Members need to see ODM still fights.”

Odinga’s leadership is now caught between ODM factions—one supportive of the Kenya Kwanza administration and another sharply critical of the pact. This tension has at times forced him to send mixed signals, appearing to back Ruto on one hand while managing dissent on the other.

To calm critics, Odinga invited National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, a key ODM figure in government, to brief MPs on the country’s economic outlook.

Party rift boils over

In his written speech, Odinga defended compromise as part of ODM’s history, citing past moments when dialogue saved the nation from collapse. He pointed to the 2007-2008 crisis and the Uhuru Kenyatta administration gridlock as examples.

He highlighted gains from the ODM-UDA cooperation, including the widely accepted 2025/26 budget, and endorsed the privatisation of State firms such as Kenya Pipeline and Safaricom shares.

Since July last year, five ODM leaders have been co-opted into Ruto’s Cabinet, including Mbadi, Opiyo Wandayi, Hassan Joho, Wycliffe Oparanya, and Beatrice Askul. Some, like Joho and Wandayi, have openly backed Ruto’s re-election, sparking fears that their loyalty may tilt away from Odinga.

Joho declared in July: “As Coast leaders, we are fully behind President Ruto. Let’s support him all the way to 2027.” Wandayi has issued similar remarks. Meanwhile, key Odinga allies such as Prof Makau Mutua and Prof Adams Oloo have also joined Ruto’s administration.

However, a youthful ODM faction, Kenya Moja, led by Sifuna, Babu Owino, Anthony Kibagendi, and Caleb Amisi, has threatened to bolt if the party backs Ruto for a second term. Kibagendi skipped yesterday’s meeting, accusing ODM of abandoning its values.

The party’s deepening rift was also exposed by a heated confrontation between co-deputy leader Simba Arati and treasurer Timothy Bosire over by-election candidates in the Gusii region. The clash highlighted ODM’s struggles to retain ground in Nyamira, Narok, and Magarini constituencies, where the party currently lacks viable candidates.

A senior ODM official admitted: “We don’t have candidates in the three wards in Nyamira. Even Narok Town Ward, which was ours, is vacant. In Magarini, the UDA candidate has refused to step down. Things are thick and boiling.”