NAIROBI, Kenya — ODM leader Raila Odinga is doubling down on his call for a national “conclave,” brushing off critics and laying out a bold plan to bring Kenyans from all corners of the country together to discuss the nation’s future—before emotions spiral ahead of 2027.
Speaking at the funeral of the late Alison Sigei in Bomet County on Saturday, Odinga said the idea of a national dialogue isn’t just timely—it’s necessary.
“We don’t want to head into the 2027 elections with rage,” he said, urging for calm, inclusion, and proactive civic engagement.
The former prime minister outlined his vision for the conclave: 40 carefully selected individuals from Kenya’s 47 counties. Half of them, he emphasized, must be youth, the other half middle-aged citizens—with only a handful from the older generation.
“Let us all come together and have a national conversation on what’s ailing this country,” Raila said in Swahili, adding that real solutions won’t come from silence or tribal finger-pointing.
His proposal triggered responses across the political divide, with some government-aligned leaders appearing cautiously supportive of national unity—but also taking subtle swipes at Raila’s allies and political rivals.
Bomet Senator Hillary Sigei echoed the need to reject divisive rhetoric and push back against tribal narratives.
In a pointed remark, he said, “Not all of us speak the language of Wamunyoro. We want to unify Kenyans—that’s the path we’re asking our people to follow.”
Governor Hillary Barchok, also from Bomet, chimed in with a defense of the Kikuyu community, while distancing himself from those stoking ethnic tensions.
“We have no issue with the Kikuyu people. We’ve stood with them for years. What we reject is any individual using that bond to bring hate among Kenyans.”
The funeral, though somber, quickly became a political sounding board, with Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot pushing for a coalition-building agenda that would shore up support for President William Ruto in 2027.
“As you continue engaging with the president, keep the conversation going,” Cheruiyot told Raila’s team. “Eventually, we’ll lock you all in a room, and whatever you agree on—that’s what we’ll go with.”
Raila’s conclave idea isn’t just a political gimmick—it’s starting to shape up as a central pillar in Kenya’s pre-2027 realignments.
And with tensions still simmering over recent protests, calls for unity, healing, and national dialogue may be gaining more traction than expected.
