Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has said Kenyans, not personal ambition, will determine whether he enters the 2027 presidential race, revealing that he will only make a final decision after completing consultations in all 47 counties to assess whether he has the national backing required to mount a credible campaign.
Speaking during an interview on a local media station on Tuesday, Sifuna said he has so far held public engagements in about 14 counties and intends to visit the remaining 33 before deciding whether to formally declare his candidature.
The senator said the nationwide consultations are meant to give him a clear picture of public opinion and help him determine whether his candidature would reflect the wishes of Kenyans while also meeting the constitutional threshold required for anyone seeking the country's highest office.
"We have so far conducted public meetings in only about 14 counties. There are still 33 counties we have yet to visit. Let me first go to Turkana, Mandera, Garissa and Tana River before making that decision."
He said the exercise is also aimed at establishing whether he can secure broad support across the country before taking the next political step.
"However, the final decision shall be arrived at after a series of public engagements and consultations across the 47 counties and meets the 25 percent support threshold from these counties, a constitutional requirement to run for president."
According to Sifuna, travelling across the country will allow him to interact directly with citizens, hear their concerns and establish whether they believe he should seek the presidency.
Although he stopped short of officially announcing his candidature, his remarks are expected to fuel fresh debate over his political future, especially within the opposition where he has remained one of the most outspoken leaders.
In recent months, calls for the Nairobi senator to contest the presidency have grown louder, particularly among young Kenyans and opposition supporters who cite his vocal approach to national issues, his legislative work and his criticism of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
The growing speculation has also come after changes within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), where Sifuna was removed as the party's Secretary-General before later losing his position as Senate Minority Whip during internal leadership changes.
Despite those changes, he has continued to play a prominent role in opposition politics, regularly speaking on governance, accountability and the country's economic challenges.
His standing has also been reflected in recent opinion polls.
An InfoTrak survey involving 3,000 respondents and released in July ranked Sifuna joint third among potential presidential candidates with 12 per cent support, tying with former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i.
The survey placed President William Ruto first with 32 per cent support, followed by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka with 13 per cent, while 18 per cent of respondents said they had not yet decided whom they would support.
Among respondents aged between 18 and 26 years, Sifuna emerged as the most popular opposition figure after recording 20 per cent support in that age group.
The same survey ranked him third among preferred opposition presidential candidates with 19 per cent support, behind Kalonzo Musyoka at 27 per cent and Fred Matiang'i at 26 per cent.
It also found that a Kalonzo Musyoka-Edwin Sifuna presidential ticket was the most preferred opposition combination nationally, attracting 23 per cent support among respondents.
Even as public interest in his political future continues to grow, Sifuna maintained that leadership should be driven by service and integrity rather than personal enrichment.
"We do not want to go into government to enrich ourselves. My colleagues make fun of the house I live in. If I change and end up owning a 20-storey building just two months into my presidency, then you should call me a "mkora"."
He said public office should be used to improve the lives of citizens instead of creating personal wealth, adding that leaders should be judged by their service and accountability rather than the riches they accumulate while in office.
While acknowledging the increasing calls for him to join the presidential race, Sifuna maintained that the consultation process will continue before any official announcement is made.
His planned visits to counties including Turkana, Mandera, Garissa and Tana River form part of a wider countrywide engagement that he says will help determine whether he has the public support needed to mount a viable presidential campaign in the 2027 General Election.