Raila’s Bold Plan to Secure ODM Strongholds Against Ruto’s Influence

ODM leader Raila Odinga has launched a nationwide campaign to consolidate his party’s support base and reaffirm its independence. 

This comes amid internal tensions and growing speculation over a possible alliance with President William Ruto’s UDA party. As Kenya’s political landscape begins to shift ahead of the 2027 General Election, Raila is working to strengthen ODM’s influence while countering perceptions that the party is drifting from its opposition role. 

Despite engaging in limited cooperation with the Kenya Kwanza administration, he has emphasised that ODM has made no decision on its electoral strategy for 2027 and has not endorsed any candidate.

“We have not passed any resolution as a party to say how we are going to go into the elections of 2027,” Raila said during a recent parliamentary group meeting in Nairobi. “Who told you ODM will not have a candidate in 2027?”

Raila's remarks come in response to growing unease within ODM, especially after some senior members currently serving in government expressed public support for President Ruto’s re-election bid. These developments have raised concerns about the party’s ideological direction and its standing among long-time supporters.

In response, ODM has intensified grassroots mobilisation in its traditional strongholds, including Nyanza, Western, and the Coast. Rallies held in Kisii, Wajir, and Narok counties, as well as internal party elections at various levels, signal a renewed effort to energise the base ahead of the National Delegates Convention scheduled for March 2026.

The party’s leadership has expressed firm support for Raila's strategy. Minority Leader Junet Mohamed has stated that ODM will either form the next government or be part of it, while party chairperson Gladys Wanga has reiterated the party’s commitment to its founding values, including social justice and democratic reform.

The upcoming ODM@20 anniversary, set to take place from 10 to 12 October in Mombasa and Kilifi, is expected to serve both symbolic and strategic purposes. Events will include youth forums, women’s meetings, interfaith prayers, cultural exhibitions, and a football tournament featuring top Kenyan clubs. 

The celebration aims to honour the party’s two decades of political activity and re-engage younger and marginalised communities. ODM has also launched the “Young Captains” chapter within its women’s league to attract university students and Gen Z voters. 

Party Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna has described the anniversary as a time to reflect and recommit to ODM’s mission, stating that the party remains “the custodian of democracy and the unrelenting defender of justice.”

Raila's latest moves come amid political uncertainty in regions such as Mt Kenya, where shifting loyalties, exacerbated by the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, may reshape alliances ahead of the next election.