By Anderson Ojwang
In the last three months to 2026, Kenya’s political landscape underwent a radical change with the demise of the country’s kingmakers of multi-party politics, Raila Amolo Odinga and Cyrus Jirongo.
The departure of the duo has left a glaring vacuum ahead of the 2027 general elections that presents new players with an opportunity to fill the void.
Jirongo was instrumental in the late President Daniel Moi securing his first victory in the country’s first multiparty elections in 1992, through his political formation, Youth for Kanu 92 (YK92).
Jirongo was instrumental in securing President Moi’s victory against the opposition candidates, the late Kenneth Matiba, the late Mwai Kibaki and the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.
Jirongo’s influence did not stop with Moi, but he was instrumental in grooming former President Uhuru Kenyatta and the incumbent, William Ruto.
At his burial, Uhuru said, “Jirongo is the person who brought me to Kanu and I don’t want to say how he did it.
I believe we have lost a president because he had the capacity to become the President of Kenya.
I have known Jirongo for so many years. Jirongo was a lion. If you can picture a young man not even 30 years of age, but sitting and sharing with Mzee Moi… Moi would sit and listen to him. Jirongo was not a simple person, a man of courage and a brilliant business mind,” he said.
Raila became the indefatigable face of Kenya’s politics and masterminded the first opposition victory over Kanu in the 2002 general elections, when Kibaki defeated Uhuru.
After masterminding the opposition victory, Raila, with other opposition figures, presided over the defeat of the Wako constitutional draft during the 2005 referendum.
In 2010, Raila led the country into the realisation of a new Constitution and remained the enigma of Kenya’s politics.
With the departure of the two significant political players in the country, new faces are emerging and could possibly be influential in the 2027 presidential election.
Mama Ida Odinga
She has been on the political journey in the country and is credited with championing the women and girl-child agenda. She is viewed as an undisputed women leader and a possible heir to Raila’s vast political constituency. She has the experience, networks and resources to mobilise and influence the course of the country’s politics.
Some of the current MPs, governors and senators in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) owe their election to her and had been frequenting her office before the demise of her husband.
President Ruto and the opposition leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, have been on the overdrive to woo her to their side. Ida has remained restrained and guarded on her next political move.
Former President Uhuru, too, has been on a drive to woo Ida to his political group.
It remains to be seen if Ida will unmask to be a kingmaker or whether she will remain in business and give politics a wide berth.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta
In the 2022 presidential election, Uhuru Kenyatta unsuccessfully tried to be a kingmaker by supporting the Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate, the late Raila Odinga.
Uhuru’s political influence was rattled and undermined in Mt Kenya, where his former personal assistant and impeached Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, turned the tables on him, giving Ruto the victory.
But this time around, Uhuru is back not only to reclaim Mt Kenya, but he is also supporting his former Cabinet Secretary for Internal Security, Dr Fred Matiang’i.
Recently, Matiang’i became the Jubilee Party deputy leader and the presidential candidate. A recent opinion poll by Infotrak ranked him second after President Ruto, with 13 per cent against Ruto’s 28 per cent.
But Uhuru will still have to contend with Rigathi, who also emerged with 5 per cent in the latest ranking. Uhuru’s Jubilee Party and Rigathi’s DCP have been battling for Mt Kenya, a contest that has regionalised their influence to the mountain.
The question remains: will Uhuru finally become a kingmaker, or will he falter once again and gain the tag of the president who failed to deliver the presidential seat to his preferred candidates?
Gedion Moi
The Kanu national chairman, Gedion Moi, can be said to be the country’s most indecisive politician. Despite the resources and political machinery in his hands, Gedion has failed to rise to the occasion.
In the just-concluded Baringo senatorial by-election, Gedion pulled out at the last minute after intervention by President Ruto and, from his recent speeches and statements, the former senator appears to have learnt the hard way.
Gedion could be walking out of his comfort zone, and if he decides to utilise the resources and political machinery at his disposal, he may just become a significant power player in the 2027 election.
At the burial of former Cabinet Minister Cyrus Jirongo, he asked the Luhya community to unite and save the country.
“Luhyas do not be an elephant who does not know the value of the tusk. Your unity will shake the country’s political landscape, your unity will help Kenya,” he said.
Cabinet Secretary, Wycliff Oparanya
The declaration by Oparanya that he is ready to leave ODM for the sake of Luhya unity spoke volumes. Oparanya understands the vacuum left behind by the demise of Raila in Western Kenya.
Having been Raila’s principal in the region and the party, Oparanya understands the path and the political dynamics.
The wrangles in ODM provide him with the opportunity to move out with an agenda of uniting the community, which currently frowns upon its leadership under Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula.
“Jirongo tried to unite the Luhya community. Whenever I met him, he would talk to me about Luhya unity. One day I asked him if I was the problem and impediment to the unity.
Because I am in ODM, if I am the obstacle, I am ready to leave the party, as the deputy party leader at that time, to unite the community and form a single political party.
We have three Luhyas who are party leaders of political parties: Eugene Wamalwa, Moses Wetangula and Musalia, but he dissolved his party. These are the party leaders. Let me say this, I am ready to leave ODM to unite the Luhya community.
I know if we come together, we are the sleeping giant in this country,” he said.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, other players may yet emerge and fill the vacuum.
