Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi recently sparked debate when he said that ODM should not field a presidential candidate in the forthcoming general elections. While his remarks drew mixed reactions within the party, some political observers are beginning to partly agree — but with a twist.
The reasoning is simple: if ODM, the country’s largest opposition party, opts to support President William Ruto’s reelection bid or join a broader coalition, then it must negotiate from a position of strength. And that position could be the Deputy President’s slot.
For many loyal ODM supporters, such a move would ensure the party’s legacy remains alive in the next government, even without fielding a presidential flagbearer. It would also give the Luo Nyanza region — long seen as ODM’s political heartland — a meaningful stake in the country’s top leadership after decades in opposition.
The proposal to have Mama Ida Odinga as a running mate is not without precedent — either locally or internationally. Across Africa and beyond, wives of former opposition or liberation leaders have stepped into high political offices, carrying forward the ideals their spouses once championed.
In Zimbabwe, Joice Mujuru, widow of liberation war hero Solomon Mujuru, rose to become Vice President, embodying continuity within a revolutionary movement. In Liberia, Jewel Howard-Taylor, former wife of ex-President and opposition figure Charles Taylor, served as Vice President, proving that legacy and leadership can co-exist. In South Sudan, Angelina Teny, wife of long-time opposition leader and rebel commander Riek Machar, has held powerful cabinet positions, including Minister of Defence, demonstrating that women connected to strong political movements can play pivotal roles in peace and governance. And in Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, widow of former reformist leader Néstor Kirchner, rose to both President and later Vice President, carrying forward a populist legacy.
In that context, the idea of Mama Ida Odinga stepping into the national political stage as a running mate would not only honour the Odinga legacy but also signal a powerful evolution in Kenya’s politics — one where experience, loyalty, and symbolic continuity converge.
For years, Mama Ida has been more than just a political spouse. She has been an educator, a women’s rights advocate, and a stabilizing moral force within ODM. Her credibility across political divides, combined with the emotional connection Kenyans have with the Odinga family, gives her unmatched national appeal.
By pushing for the running mate position, ODM would avoid a bruising internal contest over succession while ensuring its identity remains anchored in the top echelons of government.
Beyond her personal credentials, Mama Ida also brings something even more powerful — access to Raila Odinga’s vast political networks, financiers, and sympathizers both locally and abroad. These are individuals and institutions that have long supported democratic reform and could rally behind her candidacy out of loyalty to the Odinga legacy. In a political environment where resource mobilization and international goodwill often determine campaign success, that network could prove invaluable.
In an era where alliances shift faster than manifestos, ODM’s survival may depend less on confrontation and more on strategic negotiation.
And perhaps, just perhaps, Mama Ida Odinga could be the bridge between Raila’s enduring legacy and Kenya’s political future.
