ODM leader Oburu Oginga confirms the party will not field a presidential candidate in 2027, pledging support for Ruto's re-election as Gladys Wanga backs the move.
The Orange Democratic Movement has confirmed it will not present a presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections. Party leader Oburu Oginga announced that ODM will instead throw its weight behind President William Ruto's re-election campaign.
Oburu made the announcement on Sunday during a church fundraiser at St. Pascal's Chiga Catholic Church in Homa Bay Town. He stated that the decision had already been reached as coalition negotiations with the ruling party continue.
"In this coalition that we are negotiating, we already know this time around ODM will not field a candidate. So, we are going to support President William Ruto for the second term," Oburu said.
While confirming the backing, Oburu made it clear that ODM's support would not be unconditional. He said the party intends to enter the arrangement in a structured way, ensuring its policy priorities are incorporated and that its members are guaranteed meaningful participation in government.
"As we move to support him in the second term, we must go there in a structured manner, knowing what we are going to get as ODM. We are going to make sure our policies are merged in. We are going to make sure structures of participation are there and are known," he said.
Oburu framed the decision as a strategic move to protect Nyanza's interests within the national government framework and to deepen the gains already made through the broad-based arrangement.
ODM chairperson and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga echoed Oburu's position, pointing to visible development gains in the region under the current administration as the basis for the party's continued support.
Wanga cited ongoing infrastructure projects, including road construction and the proposed extension of the Standard Gauge Railway to Kisumu, as evidence that the region stands to benefit from maintaining its alliance with Ruto ahead of the next election cycle.
A Major Political Realignment
The declarations mark a significant step in ODM's political realignment following the collapse of the Azimio la Umoja coalition that fronted Raila Odinga's unsuccessful 2022 presidential bid. ODM's entry into the broad-based government arrangement has since been a subject of intense internal debate within the party and the wider opposition.