ADVERT 
Fresh political whispers sweeping across Siaya indicate that veteran senator Oburu Oginga has no intention of exiting the political stage anytime soon, a development that is now sending shockwaves through a younger generation of aspirants who had quietly begun positioning themselves for a post-Oburu era.
For months, political calculations within Siaya had been built around the assumption that the aging political titan would finally bow out after decades at the centre of Luo and national politics. Instead, insiders now claim the octogenarian lawmaker is preparing to defend his Senate seat in 2027 — effectively slamming the brakes on the ambitions of younger politicians eager to inherit the county’s political mantle.
The move dramatically reshapes the succession matrix in Siaya where several hopefuls had already begun aggressive grassroots mobilization under the belief that the seat would fall vacant.
Former Governor Cornel Rasanga Amoth has repeatedly been linked to the Senate race, although he continues to oscillate between that contest and a possible bid for the Alego-Usonga parliamentary seat. Meanwhile younger political figures such as Walter Okelo and Zack Masiro have steadily been branding themselves as the fresh blood capable of steering Siaya into a new political era.
But Oburu’s apparent refusal to retire now threatens to suffocate those ambitions before they fully mature.
Within political circles, the veteran senator’s enduring appetite for power has become a subject of intense intrigue. Critics privately argue that the seasoned politician’s health has increasingly become a matter of concern, although his allies dismiss such talk as cruel propaganda engineered by rivals desperate to force an early exit.
Yet despite growing speculation about his physical condition, Oburu appears determined to remain politically relevant — and influential.
His recent remarks seemingly offering himself as a possible replacement for Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki reinforced the perception that the senator still views himself not merely as a regional elder, but as an active player in Kenya’s national power equations.
Observers now say the unfolding Siaya Senate contest is no longer just an ordinary race. It is rapidly evolving into a symbolic battle between an old political order unwilling to loosen its grip and an impatient younger generation demanding space at the table.
The underlying message emerging from Oburu’s camp is unmistakable: the youth leader is not ready to retire — and younger blood may have to wait longer than expected for its turn to lead.
Editor’s Note: so far the claims of Oburu defending his seat are not official and this article is only a report from the grapevine
