Raila declares support for President Ruto till 2027

ODM party leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga said he will support and work with President William Ruto in the broad-based government until 2027. Raila spoke at his Karen home on Sunday, July 20, 2025. He said the decision to support Ruto was to stabilize the country and not long-term. “I have not said that I am running, and in my view, we are in 2025, and it is too early for anybody to talk about 2027. We are supporting this government up to 2027. We did not say that we are going to work with UDA beyond 2027; those are issues that we will discuss at an appropriate time,” Raila said. Raila said that his options were open to run, support another candidate, or engage in post-2027 talks with Ruto. Raila urged the newly reconstituted Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to urgently clean up the electoral roll to restore credibility ahead of the next election cycle. Raila said that the ODM’s collaboration with President Ruto was based solely on national stability concerns. “We agreed that we are part of this broad-based government until 2027. We never committed to working with UDA beyond that. Those are matters to be deliberated by the party—not by Raila Odinga alone,” he said. “In 2023, we took to the streets to protest issues like electoral injustice, the high cost of living, and rampant corruption. The government retaliated violently, and around 70 people died. When we tried to hold memorials, no judge allowed us. Eventually, we commemorated them quietly,” Raila said. Raila said that former President Uhuru Kenyatta, then in the U.S., persuaded him to reach out to President Ruto in order to protect national peace. “Even though I had ruled out talks with Ruto, the crisis changed my mind. I told him the Gen Z protests stemmed from Nadco being ignored. We then agreed on broader consultations,” he said. He added that the decision to let ODM members take part in government was made after extensive consultations within the party and the Azimio coalition. “Initially, I opposed the idea. But my colleagues believed we needed to steady the ship. So, we allowed some of our experts to join the government. Raila said his actions are driven by patriotism. “I’m not concerned with those who don’t understand. Being Raila Odinga comes with a cost, but I have always acted in Kenya’s best interest,” he said. Raila said he has not made a decision on 2027 presidential election. “I haven’t said I’ll run. I don’t have to. I could support someone else—or run if I choose to. For now, I’m focused on strengthening ODM,” he said.