Dr Oburu Oginga has given the strongest hint yet that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will field a candidate in the 2027 presidential election.
The assertions by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga 's brother cast doubt on the possibility of the party backing President William Ruto for a second term.
Dr Oginga also stated that the former premier would still be eligible to contest the presidency for a sixth time and propel the Orange party into power where it can implement the policies that would transform the lives of Kenyans.
According to the Siaya senator, Mr Odinga has never stopped working for the people.
“We shall have our own presidential candidate as ODM and should there be a need for an alliance with other like-minded parties we shall agree on the best candidate. But we shall cross the bridge when we get there,” said Dr Oginga.
Dr Oginga was speaking in a “Tell it all” interview at a Luo vernacular TV Station on Tuesday night.
His sentiments come just a few days after the interim ODM Party Leader Anyang' Nyong'o insisted that right now the party is focused on strengthening itself as it prepares to clinch power in 2027. He dismissed those claiming that ODM is slowly losing its popularity across the country.
“People must have divergent views in ODM, but it remains an institution that has been built over the years and has survived for decades post multiparty era. It has established its grass root network across the country,” said Prof Nyong'o.
Dr Oburu on his part maintained that there was no political party world over which has ever been established to be in the opposition.
“ODM cannot collapse simply because Raila has gone to the AU. He will be around to give us guidance which the law doesn’t stop him from doing. We as leaders want to strengthen the party so that when he comes, he will get a bigger and stronger outfit,” said Dr Oginga.
He stated that the party decided to release some of its members to join the Kenya Kwanza government not only to strengthen President Ruto's administration, but also to keep it in check.
The senator however stated that ODM was not part of the government pointing out that the party has embarked on a rigorous campaign to strengthen itself by carrying out grass root elections.
“We will not leave our strongholds to anyone and support Ruto. If Ruto wants to be in a coalition with us, we will have to discuss, but with our candidate in place too. Dissolving ODM is also out of the question. We did that during the NDP times when we decided to work with the former president Daniel Moi and it worked against us," he said.
After losing the 2017 elections to Uhuru Kenyatta , Mr Odinga had a handshake with the former president and forged a working partnership which almost cost him his political career after a section of Kenyans blamed him for the failures of the Jubilee government.
Asked whether Mr Odinga was ready to risk carrying the burden of a failed government again should Kenya Kwanza fall short of delivering its promises to Kenyans, Dr Oginga said that they do not have enough stake in the ruling government to be blamed for any shortcomings.
“There are no ODM policies being implemented at the moment. We are not in government and therefore cannot take responsibility for it. In fact, some few months to election, nothing will stop Raila from contesting for the presidency or any other leader from ODM. We can also form coalitions with other people,” said the Siaya senator.
He claimed that the ODM members serving in President Ruto's government were performing well at the moment.
His sentiments are shared by Dr Obora Okoth, a political analyst who notes that with only 20 percent share of the government, ODM cannot own up to Kenya Kwanza’s mistakes.
“Currently the ministries of health, agriculture, education and internal security are the ones Kenyans have a problem with, while the attorney-general works in the background. The ODM CSs will easily tell the people what they have done and absolve themselves from the Kenya Kwanza baggage,” said Dr Okoth.
He added that there is also no structured engagement or agreement that shows that they are in government and should take collective responsibility.
When it comes to the broad-based government, Dr Oginga stated that they decided to work with President Ruto in order to stop the anti-government protests that were threatening to spiral out of control.
According to him, the GenZ came out to support the Azimio agenda of protesting over high cost of living and over taxation by the government, but they shook the foundation of the government to an extent that the stability of the country was threatened.
“That's why ODM stepped in to prevent the country from disintegrating into anarchy. Kenya is not an island or any different from its neighbours. All those bad things we see happening in other countries can happen here too. That is why as ODM we decided to allow President Ruto's government to complete its term in the remaining two or so years,” said Mr Oginga.
He however expressed concern that the president had begun early campaigns at the expense of service delivery.
“I have been alive for so long and I know that early campaigns are not good for the country. I believe the cabinet secretaries are the ones who should be allowed to talk about what the government has done or announce what they have achieved in their ministries whether it is water, health, roads or energy. They should be the ones selling government policies,” said Dr Oginga.
“If I were one of his advisors, I would tell him to stop admonishing people or his rivals, stop pronouncements and instead talk less and deliver on the promises made, but unfortunately I am not one of them,” said Dr Oginga.
He called on the government to stop being in denial whenever things are not working right. He singled out the Social Health Insurance fund, which he said needed rethinking and urged the government to listen to the public.
On Mr Odinga’s race for the AUC chairmanship, The Senator exuded confidence that his brother will succeed.
“Raila has told me that things are going on well. He told me that there is nowhere he has gone and received a negative response. This is why we are hopeful that he will clinch the seat,” said Dr Oginga.
He however ruled out working with former Deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, who to him despised Mr Odinga’ supporters branding them non-shareholders in the government.
“He has never apologized for calling us non-shareholders and therefore we cannot entertain any of his sentiments. Whatever brought a rift between him and his boss, we do not know. We just impeached him because he discriminated against us,” said Dr Oginga.
He however admitted that Mr Gachagua’ popularity and influence was growing in Mount Kenya especially among the elite.
