Photo: Ofeibea Quist-Arcton/

Buildings at State House, the Kenyan presidential residence.

Nairobi — Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has announced his intention to vie for the presidency in next year's general election.

At a private party in Malibu, US on Sunday evening Mr Odinga said: "I can announce here that I'm going to be a candidate for the presidency of Kenya."

This is the first time that Mr Odinga has made his intention to gun for the top seat known even though there has been widespread speculation that he would contest.

According to an article in The Malibu Times, Mr Odinga, who vied for the same position during the 2007 general election, still insisted that he won the contest with President Kibaki but was 'robbed of victory.'

"I won elections last time three years ago. I was robbed of victory," Mr Odinga said.

On December 30, 2007, the then chairman of the Electoral Commission of Kenya Mr Samuel Kivuitu declared President Kibaki, the winner of the presidential election by a margin of about 230,000 votes.

Mr Odinga disputed the results, insisting that the elections had been rigged.

He said he had no faith in the judiciary and decided against presenting an election petition before the courts.