Ida Odinga Rules Out 2027 Bid, Reaffirms Diplomatic Path

Ida Odinga has stated that she will not enter elective politics ahead of Kenya’s 2027 General Election, affirming her focus on professional and diplomatic work.

Speaking in Nairobi on Monday, 13 April, the Kenyan Ambassador and Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme addressed speculation about her political future. She said her recent absence from public engagements was due to mourning the death of her husband, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, rather than any political plans. 

“When I lost my husband, Honourable Raila Odinga, I was still in the state of mourning, which was very important to me. Therefore, I was not able to come out and participate in any political arrangement that you people are talking about,” she said.

Ida Odinga emphasised that she does not consider herself a politician. She noted that while members of her family, including her late husband, her daughter Winnie Odinga, and her brother-in-law Oburu Oginga, have been active in politics, she has chosen a different path. 

“Personally, I am not a politician. My husband was, my daughter is; my brother-in-law is also a politician; people around me are, but I am an industrialist and not a politician,” she said.

Her remarks come as political activity increases within the Odinga family, with Winnie Odinga taking on a more prominent role in the Orange Democratic Movement ahead of the 2027 election. Ida Odinga’s position underscores a clear division of roles within the family, with some members engaged in politics while she remains focused on diplomacy and business.

Following Raila Odinga’s death, there has been discussion about leadership and influence within the party.