Ojienda Links Raila’s Political Base to Ruto’s 2027 Bid

The political network left behind by the late Raila Odinga has been described as a potentially decisive factor in President William Ruto’s 2027 re-election campaign.

Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda argued that the supporters and political structures built by Raila over decades could ultimately strengthen Ruto’s quest for a second term.
Speaking on Thursday, October 8, Ojienda said the cooperation between Ruto and Raila before the former Prime Minister’s death had created a significant political realignment.
He maintained that the region and party associated with Raila would play an important role in determining the outcome of the next presidential election.

Senator Makes Strong Prediction

Ojienda went further by suggesting that Ruto’s re-election prospects were already apparent despite the 2027 election being more than a year away.
His assessment was challenged during the interview, with the senator questioned over his confidence in predicting the outcome of a contest that has not yet taken place.
The senator’s comments were made while reflecting on Raila’s political legacy following the unveiling of his mausoleum and plans for a research centre in Bondo.
Raila was portrayed as a political figure whose influence had extended across several administrations and major political alliances.

Raila’s Long Political Journey

Ojienda pointed to Raila’s involvement with different presidents as evidence of the former Prime Minister’s unusual position in Kenya’s political history.
Raila served in government under Daniel arap Moi, worked with Mwai Kibaki, entered the 2018 agreement with Uhuru Kenyatta and later cooperated with Ruto.
According to Ojienda, those political relationships helped create a broad network that survived individual election cycles.
He argued that the strength of ODM and Raila’s supporters should therefore not be viewed only through the lens of previous opposition politics.
The senator’s argument comes as political alliances continue to shift ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Ruto’s cooperation with a section of Raila’s political camp has already altered calculations in several parts of the country.

Polling Shows a More Complicated Picture

Recent Infotrak findings, however, suggest that Raila’s former political base cannot simply be assumed to have moved wholesale behind Ruto.
The June 2026 survey placed ODM at 50 per cent party preference in Nyanza, compared with 13 per cent for UDA, although Ruto recorded 40 per cent support among voters in the region.
Nationally, UDA stood at 22 per cent in party preference while ODM recorded 21 per cent, with 29 per cent of respondents saying they did not identify with any political party.
The figures indicate that Ruto has made substantial gains in Nyanza, but they do not establish that Raila’s entire political base has shifted to UDA.

2027 Race Remains Open

Infotrak’s presidential figures also placed Ruto at 32 per cent nationally, while Kalonzo Musyoka, Edwin Sifuna and Fred Matiang’i each recorded lower support levels.
The poll nevertheless measures public opinion at the time of the survey and cannot determine the eventual result of the 2027 election.
Ojienda’s prediction therefore represents his political assessment rather than an established outcome of the next presidential contest.
The extent to which Raila’s political legacy translates into support for Ruto will ultimately depend on voter decisions, alliances and developments before the 2027 ballot.