Stephen Letoo Confirms Kilgoris MP Bid Under ODM Ahead of 2027
Citizen TV journalist Stephen Letoo has taken a decisive step into elective politics, setting his sights on the Kilgoris parliamentary seat in Narok County on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket ahead of the 2027 General Election.
How the Stephen Letoo Kilgoris MP Announcement Came About
The confirmation came during an ODM mega rally and the launch of the party’s new branch office in Kilgoris on Friday, August 28, 2026. Speaking at the event, ODM Chairperson and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga indicated she would personally hand Letoo the party cap as he moves to formally join the race, effectively putting to rest months of speculation about which political vehicle the journalist would use to launch his bid.
The Kilgoris rally itself was part of a broader grassroots mobilisation push by ODM, which has been working to strengthen its structures across the country ahead of the next election cycle. Party leaders used the occasion to rally supporters and reaffirm the party’s presence in Narok County, a region not traditionally seen as ODM’s stronghold.
A Long Road From Newsroom to Nomination
Letoo’s political ambitions have been building for well over a year. Early opinion polling by Politrack Africa placed him as a frontrunner for the Kilgoris seat, and he has since been positioning himself as a serious challenger to incumbent MP Julius Sunkuli. Sunkuli, who first represented the constituency between 1992 and 2002, returned to the seat in 2022 and is currently serving his third term.
In the months leading up to Friday’s rally, Letoo steadily deepened his footprint in the constituency. He fronted community-facing initiatives, including an “Education Empowerment” drive at Oldanyati Grounds that drew senior government figures, and made repeated appearances at local gatherings such as the Jenga Mama rally. These engagements were widely read as groundwork for a formal political entry rather than routine journalistic assignments.
He is not alone in making this transition. Several other Citizen TV and Radio Citizen personalities have also stepped toward elective politics ahead of 2027, including Radio Citizen’s Tina Ogal, who joined ODM in April 2026 with her sights on the Embakasi East seat currently held by Babu Owino. Media-to-politics crossovers have become a notable theme of the pre-2027 campaign season.
What Letoo’s Bid Means for the 2027 Kilgoris Race
Letoo’s entry sets up a potentially competitive contest in Kilgoris, pitting a well-known media personality with a national profile against an entrenched political veteran in Sunkuli. His candidacy also arrives at a time when ODM itself is navigating internal realignment following the passing of longtime leader Raila Odinga, ongoing talks around a possible working arrangement with President William Ruto’s UDA, and debate over the party’s direction heading into 2027.
Whether Letoo’s high profile and grassroots outreach translate into votes will depend on how the race develops over the coming months, including how ODM’s nomination process is run and how rival camps in Kilgoris respond to his entry.
What to Watch Next
- Formal nomination timeline: ODM has promised free and fair party nominations ahead of 2027, and how that process unfolds in Kilgoris will be closely watched.
- Sunkuli’s response: As the sitting MP, his campaign strategy and any public reaction to Letoo’s entry will shape the early narrative of the race.
- Coalition dynamics: ODM’s broader political arrangement with UDA could influence how the Kilgoris contest is framed at the national level.
As the 2027 General Election approaches, Letoo’s move from the newsroom to the campaign trail adds another high-profile name to the growing list of Kenyan media personalities stepping directly into elective politics.
