President William Ruto and veteran politician Raila Odinga have reached a consensus to field joint candidates in the forthcoming November by-elections, in an elaborate plan designed to secure more seats for the broad-based government, Sunday Nation has learnt.
President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has ceded ground to Mr Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in the Kasipul and Ugunja constituencies, both parties' strongholds. Similarly, ODM has agreed to back UDA candidates in the Malava and Banisa constituencies, as well as in the Baringo senatorial race.
This is an attempt by UDA and ODM to prevent former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper, and Eugene Wamalwa’s Democratic Action Party–Kenya (DAP-K) from gaining seats. The by-elections are emerging as a testing ground for the 2027 General Election.
Dr Ruto and Mr Odinga seek to reaffirm themselves as the most influential politicians in the country, while the opposition intends to leverage the polls to gauge its growing influence ahead of the next presidential contest.
According to officials, the consensus in the 23 by-elections scheduled for November 27, 2025, is part of a coalition-building strategy by the two largest political parties ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that Dr Ruto and Mr Odinga have formed a team comprising members from both parties to begin working on a potential election pact for 2027.
UDA National Elections Board chairman Anthony Mwaura told Sunday Nation that talks are also underway for a joint candidate in Magarini constituency.
The seat became vacant after the win of ODM’s Harrison Kombe in the 2022 election was nullified. ODM has since given Mr Kombe a direct ticket, while UDA has settled on Mr Stanley Karisa Kenga as its candidate.
Mr Mwaura said that UDA would ask the ODM candidate to drop out in favour of the UDA candidate, arguing that Mr Kenga is the most popular choice, as evidenced by opinion polls already conducted in the area.
“The plan is to ensure that we win more than 80 per cent of the seats in the 23 electoral areas. UDA has aspirants in both Ugunja and Kasipul constituencies, but we will ask them to drop and support ODM candidates in those areas,” said Mr Mwaura.
Last Sunday, President Ruto announced that UDA and ODM had agreed to back one candidate in Ugunja constituency, which fell vacant after its MP, Opiyo Wandayi (ODM), was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum.
“You know there will be a by-election in this constituency. I appointed your MP to the Energy docket. We have agreed with ODM that UDA will not field a candidate here. We shall have one joint candidate supported by both ODM and UDA,” said President Ruto in Ugunja on 31 August 2025.
Speaking separately, ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga expressed confidence that candidates fronted by the broad-based government coalition will win the forthcoming by-elections in Western and Nyanza.
“We have made adequate plans to ensure we clinch the seats. We are confident of winning in regions where we get support,” the ODM chairperson said.
She added: “We will know who commands politics in the county, whether it is us or the opposition (DCP and Wiper). Broad-based teams are ready to claim 100 per cent of the vacant seats.”
For UDA, the by-elections will be an opportunity to demonstrate grassroots dominance, while ODM will seek to reaffirm its traditional support bases in areas where its influence has waned.
In an interview, Mr Mwaura disclosed that the party has also managed to hold negotiations in other areas and successfully convinced some aspirants to withdraw in favour of more popular ones, to avoid acrimonious party nominations.
For instance, in Mbeere North, the ruling party has settled on Leonard Njeru after persuading six other individuals to drop out of the race. A similar arrangement has also been made in Banisa constituency.
In Malava and Baringo, which have attracted four and nine aspirants respectively, as well as in several wards spread across the country with multiple candidates, the party is set to hold nominations on September 20, 2025.
Rhyan Injendi.
Photo credit: Pool
In Malava, UDA has so far attracted the interest of Simon Chimuche, Rhyan Injendi Malulu, David Athman Ndakwa and Leonard Shimaka, while the Baringo senatorial race has Reuben Chirchir, Sylas Kipkosgey, Daniel Kiptoo, Kimomo Cherubet, Tobole Kipsang and Isaiah Kipkoros. Others are Evans Kiprotich, Lineus Kamket and Joseph Rotich.
“In those areas where we have multiple aspirants, we will conduct nominations electronically, using the same voting tablets deployed during the party grassroots elections. The process will be free, fair and credible, with results released within 10 minutes after closure of voting,” said Mr Mwaura, even as he warned aspirants against engaging in chaos and other electoral malpractices.
ODM has announced that it will only field candidates in Ugunja, Kasipul, Magarini and 13 wards.
Kasipul fell vacant following the murder of Charles Ong’ondo Were, while Ugunja Constituency became vacant after its MP, Opiyo Wandayi (ODM), was appointed Cabinet Secretary. The Baringo senatorial seat fell vacant following the death of William Cheptumo (UDA) in February, while the Banisa parliamentary seat was left open after MP Hassan Kullow (UDM) died in a road accident in March. Malava fell vacant following the death of Malulu Injendi.
Political analysts say the mini-polls will serve as a litmus test for Kenya’s electoral preparedness, the credibility of the reconstituted Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), and the realignment of political forces ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In Mbeere North, for instance, analysts say President Ruto’s camp will have to put in extra effort to win the seat.
The former MP Ruku, who was appointed Cabinet Secretary, was elected on a DP ticket, but UDA will likely fight for the seat, posing a serious political test for Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki to deliver the seat against Mr Gachagua’s DCP.
