Mbadi makes 2027 promise

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has openly declared that his political loyalty to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) remains intact, vowing to use his influence to strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The Cabinet Secretary said he will take advantage of his free weekends to engage in active politics and campaign for ODM candidates seeking elective positions across the country.

His remarks come amid growing pressure on Cabinet Secretaries and other State officials to keep away from partisan politics as the country heads towards another politically charged election. Mbadi, however, appears determined to maintain his political role while serving in President William Ruto’s administration.

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The former ODM national chairman said his commitment to the party had not changed despite his appointment to Cabinet. He argued that ODM had remained a major political force for nearly two decades, unlike several political parties and coalitions that emerged and later disappeared from the scene.

“All the weekends, Saturday and Sunday, are my free days. I will use the days to engage in politics, more particularly ODM politics,” Mbadi said as per Nation.

The declaration places Mbadi among Cabinet members who have continued to maintain strong political profiles despite holding senior positions in the national government. Other former elected leaders in Cabinet, including Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, Blue Economy CS Hassan Joho, Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi and Cooperatives CS Wycliffe Oparanya, have similarly retained close links with their political bases.

Mbadi Backs Wanga’s ODM Mission

Mbadi served as ODM national chairman for about a decade before stepping aside following his appointment to Cabinet. Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga subsequently took over the position and has since been tasked with steering the party into the 2027 election.

The Treasury CS said he would work closely with Wanga to rebuild and expand the party, particularly in areas where ODM hopes to increase its parliamentary and county representation.

“I will support you (Wanga) to make sure that ODM gets more than 100 members of parliament to the National Assembly. I will walk with you,” Mbadi told the governor.

Speaking during an economic empowerment programme in Ndhiwa, Homa Bay County, Mbadi said he could not remain on the sidelines while ODM worked to strengthen its national presence.

He was accompanied by Wanga, Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang and Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma during the event, which also provided an opportunity for ODM leaders to rally their supporters ahead of the next election.

Mbadi said his political efforts would not be restricted to parliamentary seats. He pledged to help ODM secure more governors and Members of County Assembly, arguing that a strong presence at all levels of government would be crucial to the party’s future.

“I will give you the necessary support together with our party leader Oburu Oginga to make sure ODM gets majority of governors and majority MCAs. Whatever it takes, we will support ODM,” he said.

Wanga, who now occupies the party’s national chairmanship, said ODM was already preparing for the 2027 contest and had identified constituencies where it believed it could make significant gains.

The governor said the party was targeting more than 127 parliamentary seats, a major increase from its current representation.

“We are out as an ODM team. We are strong as we move forward and this time we are going to get more than 100 seats,” Wanga said.

Her remarks underline the scale of ODM’s ambitions as it seeks to remain one of Kenya’s most influential political parties while navigating shifting alliances ahead of the next election.

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ODM Draws Battle Lines

The political debate also turned to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, whose emerging political influence has become a subject of intense discussion among parties and leaders positioning themselves for 2027.

Wanga maintained that ODM would not associate itself with political formations linked to Gachagua, arguing that the party’s principles were fundamentally different from what she described as his politics of exclusion.

She said ODM could engage with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), but any negotiations would have to be based on shared political principles rather than a simple contest for positions.

“That is why we cannot be in the same place as Gachagua. He propagates exclusion, the politics of big and small tribes,” Wanga said.

Mbadi echoed the criticism, accusing Gachagua of promoting a form of politics that places ethnic and regional interests at the centre of national leadership.

“You cannot be a leader who keeps on saying that you want to be president because your community has more votes. Do you want to lead your community or the whole country? That is not a leader we can associate with,” the CS said.

He argued that presidential ambitions should not be based on a candidate’s ethnic or regional background, insisting that leaders seeking the country’s highest office must demonstrate a national outlook.

“We cannot have a leader whose mind is fixed on regional and ethnic politics,” Mbadi said.

He further defended President Ruto’s administration, saying the country would re-elect the President because of what he described as his inclusive approach to governance.

The remarks reflect the increasingly complex political calculations in ODM’s traditional stronghold of Nyanza, where leaders are balancing the party’s historical identity with new alliances and the changing national political landscape.

Senator Moses Kajwang urged residents to continue registering as voters, arguing that a strong voter base would give ODM greater bargaining power ahead of 2027.

“We want to build a new Kenya where everyone has the right to get services,” Kajwang said, while also calling on Nyanza residents to continue working with the Ruto administration for development.

Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, meanwhile, appealed for restraint as political activity intensifies, warning leaders against rhetoric that could provoke violence.

“Let him come with peace and no one should use our youths to cause violence,” Kaluma said.

For Mbadi, however, the political mission appears clear. He intends to use his weekends, influence and long-standing relationship with ODM to help rebuild the party and expand its electoral footprint.

His declaration also signals that the contest for 2027 has already begun in earnest, with political leaders increasingly turning their attention to party structures, voter registration and alliances that could determine the shape of Kenya’s next government.