Nominated Member of Parliament, Catherine Omanyo, during a public rally in Kisumu East on February 25, 2026./HANDOUT

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Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo has made a strong statement about her party’s plans for the next election.

The acting Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) says the party will not settle for a supporting role. It will field a presidential candidate in 2027.

Omanyo, who was speaking during a TV interview, dismissed talk that ODM is only positioning itself for the deputy presidency in any future government deal.

“Any seat, we want even the bigger seat,” she declared.

The remarks come at a time when ODM is working with President William Ruto’s administration under a broad-based cooperation framework.

Many had seen the party moving toward a junior partner position. Omanyo rejected that view outright. She insisted the party is not for sale and remains focused on winning the top job.

“We are going to field our presidential candidate. Tujaamua (We haven’t decided), we will discuss. It is a democratic world – majina ziwekwe hapa (let names be put here) nominations zije mwenye atashinda we will go with that one,” Omanyo stated.

She promised a fully open and democratic process inside ODM to pick the strongest flagbearer. No names have been decided yet, she said.

Omanyo also defended her appointment as the acting Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), maintaining that she has the competence and experience required to steer the party.

Her appointment followed the abrupt removal of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna on February 11, 2026, a move that triggered debate within ODM ranks.

Some critics have claimed her elevation was a calculated replacement of one Luhya leader with another to ease ethnic concerns in the party.

Omanyo rejected that narrative, saying her appointment was based on merit and the confidence former Prime Minister Raila Odinga had in her abilities.

She noted that she had been serving as deputy secretary general for the past three and a half years at the time of the transition.

Responding to assertions that she was unqualified to run the party’s affairs, Omanyo said her appointment was not incidental but rooted in trust and capability.

She also dismissed claims that ethnicity played a role, saying she was not selected on tribal considerations but because party leadership believed she was suited for the position.