By Anderson Ojwang
In Kenya’s presidential elections, apart from the election of the country’s second President, the late Daniel Arap Moi, who won the first multi-party election on a KANU ticket and defended the seat successfully, the rest of the successful presidential candidates have changed vehicles midway in what can be said to be strategic rebranding.
With the exit of Moi, KANU set a precedent after its presidential candidate in the 2002 General Election, Uhuru Kenyatta, was overwhelmingly defeated by Mwai Kibaki of the NARC Coalition. The trend has gone on to redefine the country’s presidential landscape.
President Kibaki, in 2007, sought re-election through the Party of National Unity (PNU) and controversially won the disputed election. Currently, PNU is in the political Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Uhuru rode to the presidency in 2013 through his party, TNA, in which he formed the Jubilee Alliance with William Ruto’s URP.
In 2017, the Jubilee Alliance was transformed into a political party and secured a controversial second term for President Uhuru.
So, when President William Ruto spoke at Kango Ka Jaramogi during the burial of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, where he said ODM will either form the government or be in a coalition that will form the government, what did he really imply?
“I know I am the leader of the UDA party in the Kenya Kwanza Coalition. I want to assure you, ODM, in Raila’s desire, he built the largest political party—ODM. I want to promise that we will respect ODM and support ODM to hold together.
ODM must be strong as we go to 2027 because that is how we will have a strong government. Political parties are the foundations of any meaningful democracy. Therefore, the future of ODM, the strength of ODM, and the welfare of ODM matter a great deal to me.
That is how we are going to have a strong nation—by having strong and vibrant political parties.
I want to assure you that ODM will form the government or form part of the next government. What I cannot allow, in honour of Raila, is for those who want to remove ODM and use it for their own selfish gains,” he said.
Acting ODM Party Leader Oburu Oginga echoed President Ruto’s sentiment on ODM producing a president or forming a coalition government.
“If President Ruto sees our party as the most active, you may see him rejoin us and even seek to be our presidential candidate. Ruto is free to rejoin ODM. Ruto was a founding member of ODM, and he is expected to attend the party’s 20th anniversary. He will be subjected to competition if he rejoins us.
We, as ODM, will decide to either have a presidential candidate or form a coalition. We must be in the government—on our own or through a coalition,” he said.
The recent political activities by ODM leadership and MPs point not only to a probable and possible coalition but also to the likelihood that President Ruto could be a potential presidential candidate for the party.
ODM Deputy Party Leader Simba Arati, during a recent meeting with ODM officials from Nairobi, said that President Ruto was welcome back to the party.
“William Ruto, I welcome you back to ODM, and in honour of Raila, let’s ensure the party wins the 2027 General Elections. ODM is like a big river that can only be joined by other parties.
We have been in the opposition far too long. Now we have our members in the Cabinet. William Ruto was a founding member of the party, as were Uhuru Kenyatta and Kalonzo Musyoka. If you respect Baba, come back to the party.
We will compete for the ODM presidential flag bearer position so that we get the winner,” he said.
Nyando MP Jared Okello was more explicit, saying Ruto was welcome to the party and to be the flag bearer.
“The President is welcome to run on an ODM ticket. The party has 1.4 million officials nationally drawn from its grassroots leadership. ODM has 7 million paid-up members and a large base of supporters.
One person joining a political outfit is welcome. If President Ruto would want to run through the ODM party, he is welcome. There are people also angling to run through ODM, so he will have to contest with them, and if he wins, that is fine; if he loses, he will have to support whoever wins.
President Ruto, up to now, belongs to UDA, but that party was made up of supporters of the impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Gachagua is now DCP party leader, and his departure has affected UDA,” he said.
Oburu has maintained that Raila left the party in the Broad-Based Government and that they will remain in the coalition until 2027.
“We will remain in the Broad-Based Government; that is where Raila left us. By 2027, we will have political activities, and we do not want to talk before we reach the bridge,” he said.
The demise of Raila has left the party without any formidable presidential candidate, and President Ruto would be the most suitable candidate to fill the void.
A majority of ODM leaders and MPs have been rooting for President Ruto’s second term, and it is just a matter of when, not if, the President will take full charge of the party.
