ODM leader Raila Odinga unsuccessfully gave his fifth attempt at the hotly contested 2022 presidential election.
Many speculated that the 2022 presidential elections would be the last time the 77-year-old featured on the ballot as a presidential candidate due to his age.
Despite having the support of the then-sitting President Uhuru Kenyatta and the ‘Deep State’, Raila emerged second after polling 6.9 million votes against William Ruto’s 7.1 million votes.
However, in what appears that 2022 was not Raila’s last attempt at the country’s highest office, Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga has dropped the clearest hint his younger brother will vie for the presidency in 2027.
During an interview with Ramogi FM on Thursday, March 2, Oburu dismissed the notion that the former Prime Minister will be too old to vie for the presidency in 2027.
He said that in 2027, his younger brother would still be energetic and that he would not have reached a point where he can say he won’t vie.
“…His (Raila Odinga’s) age has not reached a point where he can say he won’t vie,” Oburu said.
Oburu insisted that the former Prime Minister will not abandon Kenyans and that he will not exit the political arena when the country is in a mess.
“He can decide to vie or not. But he doesn’t want to leave Kenyans with things still in a mess. So we can’t say that he will vie or not for now but let us try and straighten out issues in the country first. But be assured he won’t abandon Kenyans and leave them in a messy situation,” he added.
Last year, former Chereng’ani Member of Parliament Kipruto Kirwa said that the opposition chief will still be formidable to vie for the presidency.
“In the next election, Raila will be around 82, and this means he may be formidable, and to be elected you do not need to be so energetic, you just need to be present and be in tune with the wishes of the people,” Kirwa said.