President William Ruto has swiftly stepped in to forestall a brewing political tension within the broad-based government by promising to rein in his lieutenants accused of fueling confrontation as ODM party leader Oburu Oginga calls for a crisis meeting.
While blaming ‘underhand forces’ for sowing division in the union between his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), the President said he will ensure the arrangement survives beyond the 2027 General Election.
His assurance, however, came amid fresh details of growing mistrust between the two parties, with some Orange party officials accusing UDA of taking advantage of the union to “kill ODM’. Some officials also claimed how the planned coalition talks had collapsed as a result of the emerging disagreements.
Within the ODM Linda Ground faction of Dr Oginga, two factions have since emerged after a section of its MPs disowned National Assembly Majority Leader Junet Mohammed, terming his claims personal views, while others, including National Chairperson Gladys Wanga, seem to read from the same script in seeking to protect the outfit’s traditional bases from encroachment.
President William Ruto (left) confers with ODM party leader Oburu Oginga during the Piny Luo Festival in Senye Beach in Nyatike, Migori County on December 17, 2025.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
Mr Mohammed – kicked off the current storm by threatening that ODM would walk out of the arrangement over alleged use of state machinery and resources to undermine the outfit.
He has claimed that senior government officials have resorted to coercion and harassment of ODM MPs, forcing them to join UDA ahead of the elections, with a promise of millions of shillings for their 2027 campaigns.
ODM politicians have since singled out Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo to the alleged scheme to weaken the party.
ODM national chairperson Gladys Wanga and National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohamed.
Photo credit: George Odiwuor | Nation Media Group
ODM’s Central Management Committee meeting that was scheduled for Thursday was yesterday postponed to April 16. Mr Mohammed told the Nation it was pushed forward because of “unavailability of many members”.
Some members of the top party organ talked of expected fireworks in pushing Dr Oginga to take firm position in his dealings with UDA.
But in his ongoing development tour of Gusii, the President assured ODM of his commitment to continue working together under the broad-based arrangement.
His assurance was after ODM co-deputy party leader and Kisii Governor Simba Arati nudged him to bring to an end ‘friendly fires’ between the two parties, which he warned could strain the partnership.
“We will continue partnering with UDA as instructed by Baba Raila. But I want to tell you that there is problem from your UDA. Those friendly fires can hurt our union. Let them stop so that we can continue working together.”
Division for personal gains
The President responded saying, “Those trying to create conflict between UDA and ODM, I will stop them because we don’t want politics of division between our two parties.”
He later on Monday night tweeted the same message, while blaming unnamed individuals for fueling division for perceived personal gains.
“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.
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
In another engagement with local leaders in Kisii, the President said it was not by mistake that he agreed to form the broad-based government with the late Raila Odinga. Mr Odinga died in October 2025.
“When we formed the broad based government it was not a mistake, it was deliberate. It was intentional because I wanted a situation where no Kenya feels left out. It is my hope and prayer that broad-based is going the people of Kenya together. We are stronger together.”
Despite the assurance, the storm has left ODM more divided. On Monday, a section of ODM MPs was scheduled to address a press conference to disown the claims by Mr Mohammed.
The briefing was, however, later put on hold over reports that some of the MPs were out of town. Plan to hold it on Tuesday was again suspended, with Mr Odhiambo telling Daily Nation that they would address the matter after Dr Oginga chairs the planned Central Management Committee.
“Party position can only be articulated by the Party Leader or the Secretary General. From the signal of the party leader, ODM remains in broad-based government. There is no evidence of harassment and coercion of our members,” said the MP.
Uriri MP Mark Nyamita also weighed on the matter by insisting the union with UDA remains the party’s best bet going into the next elections. He dismissed claims of mistrust between the two major outfits.
“What we are seeing are tough bargains on the bride price. The union has so far delivered great progress for our people and we must ensure it gets better. Our best and only bet so far is the broad based government arrangement with UDA, the other purported coalitions will have no room in our regions,” said Mr Nyamita.
Mr Nyamita also appeared to oppose political zoning, which is at the heart of the current standoff between the two parties, saying the party has to conduct credible party primaries for it to remain competitive nationally.
The push for zoning has since become a major talking point, especially in Nyanza, with locals openly opposed to it. Locals see it as scheme to protect some sitting MPs, seen to be loyal to the current leadership of the party.
Others also see it as plot to lock the bases from alternative political outfits, consequently denying voters opportunity to elect the right leaders.
“ODM remains a national movement. The current leadership must however continue to carry the hopes and aspirations of all the regions it represents to maintain its national appeal.”
“The dominance of either UDA/ODM in any region will solely depend on how credible they hold their primaries, anything short of a democratic and credible process will be fiercely rejected by the people.”
But Governor Wanga appeared to read from the same script as Mr Mohammed when she said that ODM MPs’ priority should be to protect the party.
“Defending our party comes first before anything else. We shall ensure that our parliamentary strength is not reduced even by an inch. We must respect our party; other things will follow later. Without our party, votes and Kenyans, we shall not succeed,” said Ms Wanga. She is one of the fiercest proponents of zoning.
ODM insiders believe that it is only by retaining its traditional bastions that ODM would have substantive stake in the next government.
Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma is on record arguing that should ODM lose its traditional support bases, Dr Ruto will likely ditch them and court another popular outfit.
MPs Otiende Amollo (Rarieda) and Beatice Elachi (Dagoretti North) called for the establishment of a negotiating team to iron out some of the contested issues.
“They need to tell us if they have created a team for negotiating. It cannot be that people are saying this and that out there when we had agreed during our joint PG that the talks should commence.”
When marking the first anniversary of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UDA and ODM, President Ruto and Dr Oginga announced establishment of an eight-member joint technical committee to spearhead 2027 pre-election coalition roadmap.
Each of the two parties was to pick four members, with UDA Executive Director Nichodemous Bore and his ODM counterpart Oduor Ongwen serving as joint secretaries of the team.
Nearly a month since this pronouncement was made, the technical team is yet to be established.
“What we should be doing right now as a party is to move on from where we left in the joint Parliamentary group with UDA at KICC having agreed that there would be a technical team. My understanding is that the technical team, by now, would have laid down the basic ground for appointment of negotiating committee.”
National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, flanked by ODM's top leadership, addresses the media after a Parliamentary Group meeting at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi on March 3, 2026.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
“The President and Oburu should now each agree on the composition of the negotiating team, both numb and names. Each of the party should agree on the framework of the negotiations, each party will have what is called its irreducible minimum and areas where it can compromise,” said Mr Amollo.
He insisted that the country’s politics largely remain ethnic and regional based, with some parties stronger in some areas compared to others.
In areas where no single party seem to command significant presence, Mr Amollo said the coalition can conduct a scientific poll to gauge popularity of both the candidates and the political outfits.
“In our particular case, no matter what arrangement parties have on zoning, one is always have the discretion to stand as an independent candidate and that will still give popular candidate an avenue for contesting.”
In the event the negotiating teams fail to agree, the lawmaker, who is also the ODM Vice Chairman argue, the contested issues can be referred to the respective National Executive Council (NEC) for guidance.
“If they are not able to agree, then it will be declared that the parties are unable to agree and there is no possibility of a pre-election coalition arrangement and then people move on.”
He noted that with 16 months left to the next General Election, no more time should be wasted to allow the parties ample time to explore any other options in readiness for the next election should the coalition talks fail.
“Given the nature of politics where people get to start campaigning one year to elections, we are only saying we have six months. Instead of engaging in the public spat on zoning or not we should be focusing on the procedures and processes that leads to these negotiations.”
