ODM supporters during the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Special Delegates Convention at the ASK Dome, Jamhuri Expo Centre in Nairobi on Friday, March 27.
Top political and security figures in President William Ruto’s administration have been caught in a fresh political storm that now threatens to collapse the broad-based government and fuel anti-Kenya Kwanza regime sentiments ahead of the 2027 polls.
While some of the officials have been involved in shadow-boxing within the arrangement for their own 2027 political survival as well as to promote Dr Ruto’s re-election, some of their actions have inadvertently exposed Kenya Kwanza’s soft underbelly.
Violent disruption of opposition rallies by the police and use of hired goons have provided easy fodder to fan anti-establishment narratives, with alleged deployment of state machinery and public resources to ramp up support for Dr Ruto’s re-election being at the heart of the latest political storm.
Within the broad-based government, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has surprisingly accused top government officials of allegedly offering hundreds of millions of shillings to entice its MPs to ditch the outfit and join President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ahead of the 2027 General Election.
ODM MPs are allegedly being promised campaign money on condition that they join the ruling party in a grand scheme to weaken the Orange party’s negotiating power in the planned pre-election coalition agreement.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah are increasingly coming under fire from either ODM politicians allied to government or opposition leaders.
In Mt Kenya, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his allies have trained their guns on National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, linking him to the political chaos witnessed on Saturday in Kikuyu Town. Yesterday, Ichung’wah did not respond to Nation’s inquiries but at the weekend, he, too, blamed Mr Gachagua for the chaos.
Mr Murkomen and Mr Omollo have also been accused by the opposition over the rising attacks by political goons, especially after the brazen attack of Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi.
ODM is understandably a perceived threat to Prof Kindiki after the outfit through its leader Dr Oburu Oginga laid claim on the DP’s slot in the 2027 polls. Dr Raymond has been involved in political cold war with politicians from Luo Nyanza, particularly Homa Bay county. He has been accused of promoting UDA while undermining ODM, including allegedly sponsoring an independent candidate to face off with ODM in the Kasipul by-election.
ODM Party leader Dr Oburu Oginga (left), President William Ruto and ODM Chairperson Gladys Wanga share a cake during ODM@20 celebrations at Sarova Whitesands in Mombasa on November 16, 2025
The simmering tension in the broad-based government was laid bare by the National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohammed.
“Our members are being enticed with money to join UDA. The scheme is to reduce ODM to a Luo Nyanza affair. This is a cabal that feels that ODM has come to displace them. It is led by a senior government official within the presidency,” claimed Mr Mohammed.
The party has since threatened to walk out of the broad-based government unless the President reins on the cabal.
Although he did not mention names, his description left no room to second guess that he was referring to Prof Kindiki. Daily Nation reached out to Prof Kindiki for a response on the allegations linking him to coercing of ODM members. He had not responded by the time of going to press.
He has previously maintained that ODM has no chance of taking his slot. “I understand that the demands by ODM are causing jitters here in Meru. I am the deputy president and am not going anywhere. In politics, I am no pushover and I cannot be intimidated.
In its Parliamentary Group meeting held early March and chaired by Dr Oginga, ODM MPs openly accused UDA of fronting candidates against those who have refused to join the ruling party.
“Kilifi for instance is an ODM base, but as we sit here, I already have a competitor from UDA while our people are told to continue singing about broad based government. We need to know whether they will field candidates or not so that I know who I will face in 2027,” a second term MP from Kilifi said in the meeting.
While admitting that several ODM MPs in Western have agreed to ditch ODM, Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula, who has since joined UDA, denied use of money to buy the lawmakers.
“I defected from UDA voluntarily, and more people are on their way. I can tell you that ODM died with Raila. Those claims by Junet are meant to distract us, but I want to tell him that we are focused to deliver Western without any political brokerage,” said Mr Savula.
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa of UDA also said that those seeking to join the ruling party are doing so because of the popularity of the outfit. He termed the claims of coercion and harassment as baseless.
PS Omollo has also found himself caught up in Nyanza political dynamics. Local politicians have accused him of using his authority to build support for Dr Ruto, while undermining ODM.
His emerging divisive figure played out last week when MPs Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Millie Odhiambo (Suba North), James Oyoo (Muhoroni), Jared Okello (Nyando) and Phelix Jalang’o (Langata) quickly convened a press conference in Parliament to defend him from alleged pressure to have the President fire him.
While affirming their support for the PS, the MPs argued that removing him from such a significant position just months to the general election would be akin to the government shooting itself on the foot.
“No government will be willing to risk security by bringing in someone new just a year to election. For some of us who may wish that Ray leaves we may hold our horses until post-election,” stated MP Oyoo.
A section Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) led by Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo (Speaking), Gem MP Elisha Ochieng Odhiambo (Right), Muhoroni MP James Onyango Oyoo (left) address the press at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.
He noted that there are no sufficient credible grounds to remove the PS arguing that “the constitution gave guidelines on removal of people from offices and gossip is not one of them.”
The widening cracks have caught the attention of Dr Ruto who on Monday declared that United Democratic Alliance and Orange Democratic Movement would continue to work together to deliver transformation across the country.
“UDA and ODM will unite and work together. The underhand forces driving division between our two parties will not succeed. Our country is better when UDA and ODM are together,” said Dr Ruto while in Kisii on Monday.
The President said the Broad-Based Government is the driving force behind accelerated development in the country. “We will continue uniting the country and preaching peace under the broad-based arrangement,” he said.
During the Kasipul by-election campaigns, Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma told the President to reign in his lieutenants from the region who were campaigning against the ODM candidate.
“We cannot be in a broad-based government together while the UDA members are campaigning for our opponent. It is confusing our people. I'm asking the president to rein in those people,” Mr Kaluma said.
The recent attack on Mr Osotsi has also plunged him into negative publicity after the camp linked him to the incident.
“That guy (Raymond) is going to be the downfall of William Ruto. And you better sack him now or arrest him,” said Mr Osotsi.
ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino also sought to link Omollo to the attacks, demanding his resignation.
“We are saying, without any fear, that Raymond Omollo must be arrested. If he is not arrested in the next two weeks, we are going to take certain actions that will have to force the hand of government to be able to put a stop to this nonsense,” said Mr Sifuna on Saturday.
Nation reached out to Dr Omollo over the allegations, but he had not responded by the time of going to press. However, while in Lodwar on Friday, the PS issued a tough warning to criminal gangs and political violence, affirming that decisive action will be taken against all individuals involved.
"Criminal gangs and political goonism are a national challenge and will not
be tolerated. Any individual or leader who engages in or facilitates such acts
will be held accountable in accordance with the law," Dr Omollo said.
Principal Secretary for the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration, Dr Raymond Omollo, addresses the media in Nairobi on March 25, 2026.
Mr Murkomen has also made similar assurance while defending the PS.
“I saw some of the people who were having a press conference, mentioning my PS. I want to dare them that they come out openly and denounce violence and denounce the goons and the boys they are working around with.”
“As we intensify efforts to hold perpetrators and their enablers accountable, I call on all leaders to firmly distance themselves from these destructive tendencies and commit to issue-based, responsible politics. Political violence and thuggery have no place in our society,” Mr Murkomen warned.
But Jubilee Party co-deputy party leader Jeremiah Kioni said there seems to be a pattern that it is only the opposition rallies that are disrupted by the goons.
Mr Kioni said if the goons were not enjoying government protection, the state would have already staged a crackdown.
“It doesn’t matter who owns the goons, what makes us believe they are owned by the government is because there is no attempt to end it. You should ask yourself why it is rallies by the opposition that is always attacked these goons,” posed Mr Kioni.
Mr Gachagua in his remarks at the weekend blamed Mr Ichung’wah for the chaos witnessed in Kikuyu town.
“The use of police, live ammunition and teargas cannot stop an idea whose time has come. Thank you the great people of Kikuyu for your bravery, courage and resilience,” said Mr Gachagua on Saturday. “You have proven you cannot be intimidated.”
Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru alias Mejja Donk told Nation how their intention to hold a peaceful rally on Saturday was allegedly violently disrupted by the police and goons.
“Before we could start our rallies, goons were already harassing motorists and burning tyres on the road. When we managed to get to the venue and started addressing our supporters, there was no violence until teargas canister was lobbed at us.”
“Somebody decided our meeting would not happen. These chaos are sponsored by Mt Kenya MPs, who feel threatened by Gachagua popularity in the region,” claimed Mr Gathiru.
But Mr Ichung’wah put the blame squarely on Mr Gachagua, describing the Saturday chaos as the hallmark of the coordinated attacks witnessed during the June 2024 Gen Z protests.
“And they are being coordinated by the same who was coordinating them then; One Rigathi Gachagua. Why does Rigathi find it necessary to mobilise outsiders?”
Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.
