From left: Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, ODM Party Leader Oburu Odinga, and ODM Acting Secretary General Catherine Omanyo address journalists during a press conference by the party’s committee at the Swiss-Belinn Hotel in Nairobi on April 16, 2026.
A highly charged meeting by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) top decision-making organ has suspended coalition talks with President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA), the Nation can now reveal.
In an escalation of the political standoff between the two parties under the broad-based government, ODM's Central Management Committee resolved to focus on popularising the outfit before engaging in any talks for the 2027 polls.
The meeting that lasted close to seven hours was chaired by party leader Oburu Oginga, with sources describing it as tense and highly charged as top officials openly expressed frustrations over what they termed as a coordinated scheme to undermine the party.
Consequently, the party resolved to have its members stop campaigning for Dr Ruto's re-election bid until the concerns are addressed.
Dr Oginga, co-deputy party leader Simba Arati and National Chairman Gladys Wanga were tasked to convene an urgent meeting with President Ruto to resolve the issues.
"Our focus now is on ODM. We are not going to engage in coalition talks with people who have no respect for us and our party," a top official in the meeting told Nation.
ODM party leader Oburu Odinga addresses journalists during a press conference by the party’s committee at the Swiss-Belinn Hotel in Nairobi on April 16, 2026.
Another official disclosed that it was Dr Oburu who suggested convening a meeting with Dr Ruto in an attempt to end the standoff.
"These conditions have to be met before we can consider any talks on coalitions. The President has to tame his people.Our members spoke out openly about these issues of our MPs being enticed to run on UDA," another official said.
When the officials emerged from the closed door meeting they did not minced their words in an official statement read out by Deputy Secretary General Catherine Omanyo. “We demand respect from the UDA party,” read the official statement.
The party accused some UDA senior officials of fuelling division through their remarks.
ODM and UDA are caught up in a bitter tussle over zoning and Deputy President position. ODM has demanded for political zoning in an attempt to ring-fence its traditional bastions from possible encroachment by the ruling party.
The Orange party has also laid claim on the deputy president’s slot. Some UDA officials have, however, told them off over the demands triggering the current storm.
Both UDA and ODM National Executive Committees had formally mandated President Ruto and Dr Oginga to begin coalition talks.
From left: Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, ODM Party Leader Oburu Odinga, and ODM Acting Secretary General Catherine Omanyo address journalists during a press conference by the party’s committee at the Swiss-Belinn Hotel in Nairobi on April 16, 2026.
“The Central Committee noted with concern the goings-on and the unwarranted public utterances by some senior officials of the UDA party aimed at causing anxiety and disquiet among our members,” Ms Omanyo said.
“As a party that believes in its principles, ideology and the foundation on which it was founded, we demand respect from the UDA party.”
The party also announced plans to intensify mobilization across the country as it seeks to strengthen its political base.
“At the end of the deliberations, the Central Committee resolved that we embark on a vigorous and rigorous exercise to popularize and strengthen our party in all parts of the country and particularly in our strongholds,” she said.
“We have no choice but to make our identity bigger, which remains in the hearts of majority of Kenyans.”
As part of the programme, ODM will hold youth conventions in 25 counties aimed at energizing the party ahead of the next electoral cycle.
“As part of the activation programme, we shall be embarking on countrywide tours for a series of youth conventions aimed at rejuvenating, revamping and re-energizing the party,” she said.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga speaks during the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Special Delegates Convention at the ASK Dome, Jamhuri Expo Centre in Nairobi.
The engagements will begin with a youth conference in Nairobi on April 20 followed by another in Mombasa on April 26. A joint retreat of the party’s National Executive Committee and other leadership organs is scheduled for May 1–3.
She assured party members that nominations for elective positions will be competitive.
“We want to ensure our members and supporters that in the build up to the general election we shall conduct free and fair nominations and there will be no sacred cows for any position sought,” she said, adding that the party secretariat will soon open a portal for aspirants.
The warning comes as ODM pushes to consolidate its structures after conducting grassroots elections across most parts of the country.
“We want to congratulate our members for conducting peaceful, transparent and verifiable grassroots elections across the country. The exercise is 98 percent complete and we hope to have the few remaining areas have their election completed in the shortest time possible,” Ms Omanyo said.
She urged members in areas where the process has not been concluded to resolve disputes internally to allow the exercise to be finalised.
“We urge our party members in the areas where grassroots elections have not been concluded to exhaust the relevant internal dispute resolution mechanisms to reach an agreeable conclusion that will see the exercise completed.”
The party also weighed in on the rising cost of living, particularly fuel prices, urging the government to take additional measures to cushion Kenyans.
“Kenyans are concerned about the increase in fuel prices. We know this is a global problem,” Omanyo said.
“While noting the government’s efforts to mitigate the situation, we continue to push it to do more to cushion Kenyans from the effects of the crisis.”
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