Opposition leader Raila Odinga has hinted at ditching his 2017 presidential ambitions and backing another candidate.
Raila who has unsuccessfully vied three times for President said he would support another candidate, if that would send the Jubilee administration home.
“Must it be me? No! I am prepared to support others if they have better prospects of beating Jubilee hands down. The whole thing is that we must not allow Jubilee to get victory when the country is in such a mess. If my candidature proves to be an impediment in our determined resolve to rescue the country from the grips of Jubilee, and if supporting another person would help, I would be more than willing to step down for them,” Raila said as quoted by Standard.
The ODM leader reiterated that he defeated President Uhuru Kenyatta in the 2013 general election.
“I have run three times. I have lost once. I know I was robbed. I know how I was robbed and that’s why I have insisted on electoral reforms. I know once we fix the IEBC we will be securing our victory. I am much wiser,” he added.
Cord co-principals Moses Wetangula and Kalonzo Musyoka have also declared interest in the presidency.
Raila said Cord has appointed a team of experts to find out the best combination that will send Jubilee home.
“We are also alive to the fact that Cord is not a static movement. We are still open to other movements and we know others will be joining us in due course,” he said
A recent poll survey by Ipsos Synovate said that 35% of Kenyans want Raila Odinga to retire from politics.
The pollster said 26% want Raila to support another candidate, while 34% want him to run for president in 2017. 2,067 households were interviewed by Ipsos.
The survey sparked mixed reactions, with a section of opposition leaders saying Ipsos is Jubilee’s project to manipulate Kenyans’ perception about Raila and Cord.