Suba South MP Caroli Omondi has dropped a political bombshell, announcing he will not seek re-election on an ODM ticket in the 2027 General Election—signaling fresh cracks within Raila Odinga’s long-dominant party and igniting speculation about a looming realignment in Luo Nyanza politics.
Speaking on Tuesday, December 23, the first-term legislator revealed he will instead defend his seat under a brand-new political party, distancing himself from ODM’s internal processes and leadership direction.
“It is not my intention to seek re-election on an ODM ticket. I think I will run for re-election on a different party,” Omondi said.
“The only thing I can say is that it is not one of the known parties; it will be a new party.”
Omondi’s exit is fueled by claims of lack of confidence in ODM’s nomination process ahead of 2027. The MP accused the party of leaning towards zoning arrangements that, he argued, are designed to lock out certain aspirants in party strongholds.
“They once threatened to expel me, and I know they will come up with zoning rules. Didn’t they just do that in Kasipul?” he posed.
His remarks echo long-standing complaints by ODM members who claim nominations are often opaque, pre-determined, and tilted in favor of preferred candidates.
Omondi further questioned the independence of ODM’s decision-making, suggesting the party’s leadership no longer acts autonomously. Without delving into specifics, he cited recent internal leadership decisions as evidence that ODM may be under external influence, a development he said deeply troubled him.
“It seems ODM is getting direction and control from somewhere else,” he claimed.
In a scathing ideological critique, Omondi said the party he helped build no longer reflects its founding values.
“I do not feel that the current ODM and its leadership embrace the ideological and intellectual underpinnings upon which we founded the party,” he said.
“I find it very short-termist, interested in imagery and not characterized by deep thinking.”
Omondi was elected Suba South MP in 2022 on an ODM ticket, succeeding current National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, who held the seat for three consecutive terms. A seasoned technocrat, Omondi previously served as Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister between 2008 and 2013.
In 2023, he was among a group of ODM MPs who faced expulsion after meeting President William Ruto at State House—an episode that underscored growing tensions between the party leadership and dissenting lawmakers. The MPs later secured a court order blocking their expulsion.
Omondi’s declaration adds momentum to the debate over ODM’s future, especially as recent surveys and political chatter point to shifting allegiances under the emerging broad-based government framework. His promise to unveil a new political party is likely to energize rivals and unsettle ODM loyalists as the 2027 race gathers pace.
For now, one thing is clear: ODM’s grip on its traditional strongholds is no longer guaranteed, and Caroli Omondi’s exit could be the first of many political tremors to come.
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