East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Winnie Odinga has said she is yet to decide whether she will support President William Ruto's bid for a second term in the 2027 General Election, while insisting that ODM has also not reached a final position on its next presidential candidate.
Speaking during an interview, Winnie said questions about the 2027 race remain open both for her personally and for the Orange Democratic Movement, adding that the party's official position can only be determined through its internal structures.
Responding to whether she would campaign for President Ruto's re-election, Winnie admitted she had not settled on her own position.
"That is a very hot question to ask in positions like this but I have not decided," she said.
She also dismissed claims that ODM has already made up its mind on whether to field a presidential candidate in the next General Election, saying the decision rests with delegates and party members rather than individual leaders.
According to Winnie, the National Delegates Convention (NDC), which is expected later this year, will provide the platform for members to determine the party's direction ahead of the 2027 polls.
"I also do not believe ODM has decided to field a presidential candidate in 2027. We will have a National Delegates Convention which will happen later this year and it is where such decisions will be made," she said.
Winnie said it was important for the party to allow its supporters to shape key political decisions, arguing that ODM should remain guided by the views of its grassroots members.
"The party needs to let the people decide and listen to what supporters want," Winnie said.
She further claimed that some individuals within the party were focusing on advancing their own political interests instead of representing the wishes of ordinary supporters.
"There is a lot of briefcase carrying and people are looking for self-survival, and there the will of the people may not be a priority," she said, adding that members wanted an opportunity to make a choice.
Winnie also spoke about the political future her father, the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, might have pursued had he been alive. She said there was a possibility he would have contested the presidency in 2027 despite his political cooperation with President Ruto under the broad-based government arrangement.
She pointed to the current state of the country, saying public dissatisfaction, slow development and other national concerns could have persuaded him to seek another shot at the presidency.
"If you look at today and the dissatisfaction of people, slow development, he may possibly have joined the race," she said.
Winnie, however, clarified that her remarks should not be interpreted as criticism of President Ruto's administration. She said her comments reflected the belief that more could still be done to address the concerns being raised by Kenyans.
On speculation that ODM could eventually endorse President Ruto's re-election campaign, Winnie maintained that such a decision would not be made by individuals but by the party through its established organs.
"On endorsing Ruto, it is the ODM members who will decide. I cannot speak for all members, and that is where the NDC comes in," she said.
Her remarks come as debate over ODM's political direction continues to gather pace ahead of the 2027 General Election, with attention now shifting to the party's National Delegates Convention, where members are expected to chart the way forward on its presidential strategy and possible alliances.