Raila Odinga’s thoughtless and ill-timed endorsement of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja came at a time when he was supposed to be fully focused on his bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairmanship. Instead of rallying continental support, he made a careless political move that created confusion, triggered backlash, and exposed his lack of seriousness in securing the AU position.
During a public gathering, Raila casually declared Sakaja as his “son” and spoke as if he was handing over Nairobi to him. The endorsement was not only shocking but also completely unwelcome.
ODM supporters, who have been critical of Sakaja’s leadership, felt betrayed by Raila’s remarks. The governor has been facing mounting criticism for the poor state of Nairobi, with accusations of mismanagement and neglect of key city services.
By carelessly praising Sakaja, Raila alienated his own political base, particularly leaders like Tim Wanyonyi and Babu Owino, who have ambitions for the Nairobi governor’s seat in 2027.
Many Kenyans immediately saw Raila’s actions as a sign that he was not very keen on winning the AU job. His focus seemed to remain on local Kenyan politics rather than on convincing African leaders that he was the best candidate for the AUC position.
This blunder raised questions about his priorities was he truly committed to representing Africa, or was he still entangled in domestic political calculations? Instead of presenting himself as a statesman ready to unite the continent, he was engaging in petty endorsements that added no value to his AU bid.
His unfortunate endorsement was met with widespread backlash and even curses from his supporters. Many ODM loyalists took to social media and public forums to express their anger, questioning why Raila would back a governor who has failed Nairobi.
Some saw this as proof that he was losing his political sharpness, while others viewed it as outright betrayal.
The uproar was so intense that ODM officials were forced to intervene, with party leaders issuing statements to downplay Raila’s remarks. They insisted that his comments did not amount to an official endorsement of Sakaja for 2027, but the damage had already been done.
Beyond the internal ODM divisions, Raila’s miscalculation played into the hands of his opponents, who quickly used it to paint him as politically distracted and unserious about the AUC job.
Instead of generating momentum for his continental ambitions, he created unnecessary doubts about whether he was fully committed to the race.
At a time when he should have been strengthening his position among African heads of state, he was busy trying to control the backlash from his own supporters at home.
This poorly timed move only confirmed what many suspected Raila was not giving his AUC bid the full attention it required. If he truly wanted to win, he would have been engaging in strategic diplomacy instead of carelessly involving himself in local political endorsements that only served to damage his credibility.
His failure to stay disciplined in his messaging could very well cost him the AUC position, proving that sometimes, a single thoughtless statement is enough to derail even the most ambitious political campaigns.
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