Raila Odinga has made it clear that his support for President William Ruto will not go beyond 2027. He said this during an interview with NTV at his home in Karen, ending speculation that he might back Ruto for a second term.
According to Raila, the current political partnership is only meant to help the country during a difficult time. He explained that it is not a long-term agreement and it should not be taken as support for Ruto in the next election.
Raila said that the main goal right now is to help the government keep its promises and bring stability, not to plan for the 2027 election. He warned politicians against starting early campaigns and asked them to focus on solving problems affecting Kenyans.
He also said that any decision about the future will not be made by him alone but by the ODM party. He reminded everyone that the party has clear structures that will guide any major choices, including who to support in the next election.
This comes as many people have started to suspect that Raila might be planning to work with Ruto beyond 2027, especially after their recent meetings.
But Raila firmly denied those claims, saying such discussions will happen when the time is right and with full involvement of ODM members.His statement is likely to cause more political tension both in the opposition and within the ruling side.
Some people now believe that Raila might either support another candidate or even change his mind later depending on how things go. On the other hand, Ruto’s side is facing challenges from young people who are unhappy with unfulfilled promises made during the 2022 campaigns.
The public mood has not been very friendly to the government lately.Raila also spoke about the national dialogue process, which he calls a “conclave.” He said this is not something he started to benefit himself or Ruto.
It is a way to bring Kenyans together to talk about real issues affecting the country. He insisted that shouting slogans will not fix problems like poverty or corruption.
He urged people to come together and find lasting solutions. When asked if he will run for president again in 2027, Raila did not give a clear answer. He said that decision will be made later.
He also talked about why he decided to work with Ruto. He recalled that in 2023, they led protests to push for change, but the government responded with violence.
He said about 70 people were killed and even when they tried to hold a memorial, they were blocked. They had to do it in silence. This, according to him, made them realise that dialogue was a better way forward.
