The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Leader Dr. Oburu Oginga has declared that he is the automatic presidential candidate for the party in the 2027 General Election, should the party decide to contest independently rather than form a coalition.

Speaking in his New Year address, Oburu — who is also the Senator of Siaya County — invoked the party constitution to assert his position as the designated presidential candidate.

“I want to make it absolutely clear that our constitution already has a presidential candidate for our party, and that presidential candidate is clearly stated in the constitution of our party, and it is the party leader. I am the presidential candidate for ODM, if ODM decides that it goes it alone,” Oburu stated.

Oburu issued a stern warning to any party members harbouring presidential ambitions within ODM.

“Anybody who is preparing himself to go for presidential election in ODM, I think, is misplaced. If they want to go for presidential candidacy, they should look for another party, but this particular party, the presidential candidacy is already decided by its own constitution,” Oburu said.

Oburu emphasized that 2026 would be crucial for determining the party’s electoral strategy. He indicated that by the end of the year, ODM would have decided whether to contest independently or enter into a coalition with other parties.

“Before the end of 2026, we shall have clearly known and made all the necessary arrangements going into 2027. Our party shall have known whether we are going it alone, or we are going to go into coalition with other parties,” he explained.

‘ODM will never be sold’

Oburu dismissed suggestions that ODM had been sold to other political formations, describing such claims as “daydreaming.”

“ODM is strong, and it is kicking, it is up, and it is not about to be sold. And it will never be sold, and if it is to be sold, I don’t know at what price. This party is too big to be sold to anybody. And I don’t know if there is anybody in Kenya who can afford the price of ODM,” he declared.

Addressing ODM’s current participation in the Kenya Kwanza administration, Oburu clarified that the party is not fully integrated into government but rather part of a “broad-based arrangement” that falls short of a formal coalition.

He noted that this arrangement, which was agreed upon following the late Raila Odinga’s leadership, extends until 2027 and includes a 10-point agenda that the party is monitoring closely.

He acknowledged the challenges of 2025, particularly the loss of his younger brother and former party leader, Raila Odinga.

He called on party members to remain united, remain focused, and remain steadfast in their pursuit of the people’s interests following this significant loss.

The ODM leader concluded by emphasizing that 2026 would be a year of intensive party organization and unity-building as the movement prepares for the 2027 elections.