Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has set a July deadline for a major political announcement that could shape his future, saying he will only declare whether he is running for president in 2027 after receiving a report from a team reviewing his suitability for the race.
He said the 10-member team formed in November 2024 is finalising its work and will present its findings early next month, after which he will make a clear decision on his next political step.
The team is led by Mary Kathomi Riungu and deputised by Charles Okabaiku, and was created to assess his leadership profile and guide his direction ahead of the next general election cycle.
“The report is almost complete. I will receive it before we officially launch it in early July. After that, I will decide whether to run for president or return to Busia to defend my Senate seat,” he said.
Omtatah said the exercise is meant to ensure that any decision he makes is grounded on structured evaluation rather than political pressure or sudden shifts.
His remarks come as political competition begins to take shape in Busia County, where former governor Sospeter Ojamoong has already expressed interest in the Senate seat and secured backing from Governor Paul Otuoma, who is expected to defend his position on an ODM ticket.
The unfolding race sets up a tense political atmosphere in a county where Omtatah won the Senate seat in 2022 on a National Reconstruction Party ticket, breaking ODM’s long-standing dominance.
His national profile rose during the 2024 Gen Z protests, where he was widely seen defending arrested protesters and criticising alleged abuses by state agencies.
Even so, recent TIFA opinion polls suggest shifting momentum in the wider presidential race, with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino gaining more visibility among voters.
Despite the changing political mood, Omtatah said his approach remains grounded in strategy rather than popularity.
“I do not make noise for publicity. My work is to defend the interests of Busia people and Kenyans in the Senate. My politics are guided by strategy, not empty populism,” he said.
He added that he will only pursue the presidency if the committee recommends it and ruled out joining either the Opposition coalition or the Linda Mwananchi movement, which he accused of lacking a clear national plan.
“What matters is not removing one leader and replacing him with another who continues the same failures. We need leadership that genuinely protects the interests of Kenyans,” he said.
On local politics, he dismissed concerns over Ojamoong’s entry into the Senate race and Otuoma’s backing of rivals, saying he is ready for any contest.
He also challenged opponents to back claims that he has used court cases to block development projects, saying such accusations should be proven.
In the 2022 elections, he was among a small group of leaders who won seats outside ODM influence in Busia, alongside Nambale MP Geoffrey Mulanya and Teso South MP Mary Emase.