ODM BOWS OUT OF 2027 PRESIDENTIAL RACE

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has announced that it will not field a presidential candidate in the 2027 General Election, marking a major political shift from the position championed by the party's late leader, Raila Odinga, who repeatedly insisted the party had not abandoned its presidential ambitions.

Speaking during a church fundraiser at St. Pascal's Chiga Catholic Church in Homa Bay, ODM leader Oburu Oginga declared that the party had resolved to support President William Ruto for a second term instead of fronting its own flag bearer.
"In this coalition that we are negotiating, we already know this time around ODM will not field a candidate. So, we are going to support President William Ruto for the second term," Oburu said.

He explained that the endorsement would be based on a negotiated coalition rather than blind political support, saying ODM intends to secure policy commitments and guaranteed participation in government.
"As we move to support him in the second term, we must go there in a structured manner, knowing what we are going to get as ODM. We are going to make sure our policies are merged in. We are going to make sure structures of participation are there and are known," he added.

ODM national chairperson and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga backed the decision, arguing that the broad-based government had already delivered visible development projects in the Nyanza region, including road infrastructure and the planned extension of the Standard Gauge Railway to Kisumu.

The announcement marks one of the clearest departures from Raila's position before his death.
In September 2025, Raila strongly rejected claims that ODM had already settled on backing Ruto in 2027, cautioning party leaders against making commitments that had neither been discussed nor approved by the party.
"So, wherever you are, don't commit the party to some things which have not been discussed. Let those things be discussed first. We are ODM. Who's told you that ODM will not have a candidate in 2027, who has told you?" Raila said during an ODM Parliamentary Group meeting in Machakos.

At the time, Raila maintained that the Memorandum of Understanding between ODM and UDA was never intended to determine the outcome of the next presidential election. Instead, he said the agreement was negotiated to restore political stability, reduce tensions, implement the NADCO recommendations and allow the country to focus on governance after a prolonged period of political unrest.

"We have a clear plan that we have negotiated and we have agreed on. Let us continue to implement that plan. Other decisions we'll take when the time comes," he said.

Raila also reminded party members that the broad-based arrangement was only meant to run until the 2027 elections and did not amount to a permanent alliance with UDA.
"We have said that we are in the broad-based government until 2027. We did not say that we are going to work with UDA beyond 2027."

He insisted that the question of ODM's presidential candidate would ultimately be decided democratically by party members.
"Those are issues that we will discuss at the appropriate time, and the decision will be made by party members, not Raila Odinga alone."

Following Raila's death, however, the party's political trajectory has shifted significantly. Under Oburu's leadership, ODM has moved from describing its cooperation with Kenya Kwanza as a temporary governance arrangement to openly declaring support for Ruto's re-election bid.

The latest announcement also comes amid growing indications that ODM leaders are looking beyond 2027. Several senior figures have argued that supporting Ruto's second-term bid could form part of a broader political arrangement that positions the party to seek the presidency in 2032, with coalition negotiations expected to shape the succession roadmap.

The evolving alliance has also sparked fresh demands within the party. Leaders from Western Kenya, including Khwisero MP Christopher Aseka, have urged ODM to negotiate for the deputy presidency, proposing Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya as the party's preferred running mate should the coalition with Ruto be formalised.

At the same time, some ODM leaders have acknowledged that Raila's death left a significant leadership vacuum within the party, making it difficult to mount a nationally competitive presidential campaign in 2027.

Although ODM's support has been viewed as a key pillar of President Ruto's 2027 re-election strategy, analysts and critics remain skeptical about the party's ability to deliver enough votes to offset his perceived loss of popularity in the Mt. Kenya region.

The partnership has also fueled perceptions that ODM risks being absorbed by UDA, potentially compromising the political influence it has built over more than two decades. Even so, ODM remains optimistic that the alliance will give the party a stronger voice and greater influence in shaping Kenya's political landscape ahead of the 2027 General Election.