Africa-Press – Kenya. Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Oburu Oginga has declared that he will be the party’s presidential candidate if ODM opts to contest the 2027 General Election on its own.
Oburu said the ODM constitution is explicit that the party leader automatically becomes its presidential candidate in the event the party chooses to go it alone.
“If we are going it alone, I want to make it absolutely clear that our constitution already has a presidential candidate for our party. That presidential candidate is clearly stated in the constitution of our party, and it is the party leader. I am the party leader speaking. I am the presidential candidate for ODM if ODM decides that it goes it alone,” Oburu said.
“Anybody who is preparing himself to go for the presidential election in ODM is misplaced. If they want to go for presidential candidacy, they should look for another party. This particular party’s presidential candidacy is already decided by its own constitution.”
Speaking in a New Year address to Kenyans, Oburu dismissed claims that ODM has been weakened or “sold” to other political formations, insisting the party remains strong, grassroots-based, and firmly intact ahead of 2027.
He described 2026 as a decisive year for the party, noting that ODM will, before the end of the year, make a final determination on whether to contest the next election independently or enter into a coalition with other parties.
“As we move forward, we are going to decide whether we go it alone or we go with other parties. If we decide to go it alone, we are there. Anybody who is saying ODM is sold to other parties is daydreaming. ODM is strong, it is kicking, it is up, and it is not about to be sold. It will never be sold. If it were to be sold, I do not know at what price,” he said.
“This party is too big to be sold to anybody. I do not know if there is anybody in Kenya who can afford the price of ODM. It would be too much, too expensive for them, because the party goes down to the grassroots, to the last person.”
Oburu used the address to reflect on 2025, describing it as a year marked by both progress and loss.
He paid tribute to the late ODM party leader Raila Odinga, whom he described as not only a national figure but also his younger brother, saying the loss had deeply affected the party and the country.
He said that despite the setbacks, ODM had made significant strides and remained united following Raila’s death.
Oburu reaffirmed that the party is currently in a broad-based arrangement with the Kenya Kwanza government, but clarified that the arrangement does not amount to a coalition.
“We are not fully integrated into the government. We are just in a broad-based arrangement, not even a coalition,” he said.
The ODM party leader added that ODM is closely monitoring the implementation of the 10-point agenda signed between Raila Odinga and President William Ruto.
He urged ODM members to remain united, focused, and committed to the party’s principles, saying the decisions made in the coming year would shape the party’s future going into the 2027 polls.
