Cooperatives and MSMEs Development Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has termed as premature calls by some ODM leaders endorsing him as President William Ruto’s running mate in the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during an interview on KBC Channel 1 on Monday, Oparanya said the endorsement caught him by surprise, insisting that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is yet to hold any official discussions on the matter.
“I have not thought about it. That office already has someone I respect who is doing a very good job. I think it is premature to talk about it,” Oparanya said.
He noted that those pushing the proposal argue that ODM deserves a senior position if it formalises its political cooperation with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), given its strong support base in Nyanza, Western, Nairobi and the Coast.
The former Kakamega Governor revealed that both ODM and UDA have each nominated five representatives to begin negotiations on a possible cooperation agreement.
“At the moment, as members of the broad-based government, our focus is to work very hard to ensure the President is re-elected. If he is not re-elected, then the issue of Deputy President will not arise,” he said.
Oparanya’s remarks come amid growing political debate over the possibility of an ODM-UDA power-sharing arrangement ahead of the 2027 General Election, with the Deputy President position expected to be a key issue in future negotiations.
ODM Secretary General Catherine Omanyo and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed recently endorsed Oparanya for the role, describing him as one of the party’s most loyal and experienced leaders due to his long-standing association with the late ODM leader Raila Odinga and his influence in Western Kenya.
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