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Raila Junior declares that he will run for MP in 2027 polls
Raila Junior speaks to the congregation during a service at Cathedral of Praise Ministries International Church in Imara Daima, Nairobi on May 24, 2026.
What you need to know:
- Both Raila Junior and his sister, Winnie Odinga, now positioning themselves for elective office.
- Raila Junior said he continues to rely on Dr Oburu for guidance on both family and political matters.
As the family of the late Prime Minister Raila Odinga prepares to hand over the site for his mausoleum to the government on Monday, his son, Raila Odinga Junior, has confirmed he is laying the groundwork for a bid for the Embakasi South parliamentary seat in the 2027 General Election.
In an exclusive interview with the Nation, Raila Junior said he had informed ODM leader and his uncle Dr Oburu Oginga, of his political ambitions during a meeting on Sunday that also focused on preparations for the construction of the late opposition leader's mausoleum at Kang'o ka Jaramogi in Bondo, Siaya County.
The meeting comes at a time when the Odinga family is increasingly stepping back into frontline politics following Raila’s death, with both Raila Junior and his sister, Winnie Odinga, now positioning themselves for elective office.
“We talked about family matters and tomorrow's event where we will hand over the site to the government for the construction of Baba's mausoleum. Of course, we also discussed other issues, including politics and life in general, but our immediate focus is the handover ceremony," Raila Junior said.
Read: Inside Oburu’s many wars
The handover ceremony is expected to be attended by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, Culture Principal Secretary Ummi Bashir, Siaya Governor James Orengo, members of the larger Oginga family, the Kawuor clan and residents of Bondo.
The event will also bring together Dr Oginga and Governor Orengo on the same public platform for the first time since divisions emerged within ODM over the party's direction.
Governor Orengo has aligned himself with the Linda Mwananchi faction, which has challenged the party's current leadership and cooperation with President William Ruto's administration.
Raila's mausoleum will be constructed adjacent to that of his father, Kenya's first Vice-President, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, at Kang'o ka Jaramogi. Jaramogi, who died on January 20, 1994, remains one of the country's foremost champions of multiparty democracy.
Raila Junior, who assumed the role of head of the Odinga family following his father's death, said he continues to rely on Dr Oburu for guidance on both family and political matters.
“I continue to consult him on family issues because he is our elder and father figure. I also seek his advice on politics,” he said.
Raila Junior said he had formally informed Dr Oburu of his intention to contest the Embakasi South parliamentary seat in 2027.
He first publicly declared his political ambitions during a recent fundraising event in Homa Bay, where he appealed to residents of the Nyanza region to support his bid, saying he was ready to serve.
His planned entry into elective politics mirrors that of his sister, Winnie Odinga, a Member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), who has also declared an interest in elective politics.
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