By rejecting rumors that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will not run for president in 2027, opposition leader Raila Odinga has once again agitated the political landscape. “Who told you ODM will not have a presidential candidate in the 2027 elections?” Raila asked in a hypothetical comment that has now caused people all around the nation to snicker.
The comment was a deliberate political lightning, brief but impactful. After suffering several electoral setbacks, there had been months of conjecture that Raila may finally resign and support a another candidate, perhaps under the new opposition alliance.
His remarks tonight, however, indicate that ODM is not going to slip into obscurity or cede its claim to the nation’s top office. This was a wake-up call for Raila’s supporters, a confirmation that their political leader has not abandoned them. But to his detractors, it served as a reminder of a political fighter who, despite the harshness of the battlefield, never backs down.
Raila’s statement was intended to rouse his supporters and quiet skeptics, much like an elderly lion roaring to remind the savannah of his presence. According to political pundits, Raila’s announcement is also a calculated attempt to maintain ODM’s relevance on the opposition chessboard.
Given the competition for power from parties like Wiper, Jubilee, and DAP-K, any indication that ODM could forego 2027 could reduce its negotiating leverage. Raila has successfully thrown down the gauntlet by announcing that ODM will run a candidate, compelling both allies and opponents to reevaluate their approaches.
But the key question still stands: will Raila himself be running, or is he preparing an ODM successor to take his place? In order to keep his followers motivated and his opponents uneasy, Raila Odinga purposefully left room for both possibilities in his remarks.
These kinds of remarks are seldom uttered lightly in Kenya’s contentious political climate. Raila’s statement serves as a rallying call as much as a warning. This serves as a reminder to Kenyans that ODM views the 2027 elections as an open battleground in which the party will fight to the death.
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