President William Ruto’s allies have accused some members of ODM leader Raila Odinga’s camp of engaging in political blackmail against the Head of State within the broad-based government, escalating tensions that risk a messy fallout.
And on Wednesday, Mr Odinga held talks with Democratic National Alliance (DNA) party leader Godfrey Kanoti, an outfit launched early this month that brings forth anti-Ruto forces who have vowed to team out with other opposition luminaries to end his grip on power in 2027.
During the launch of the outfit, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni led the group dubbed; loyal opposition to grace the party’s National Delegates Conference (NDC), where they vowed to craft a Narc-like coalition to send Ruto packing.
But on Wednesday, Mr Odinga was quick to state that Mr Kanoti, the DNA party leader only “came by for a tête-à-tête on national issues and political party governance lessons.”
“We remain committed to pluralism of views and multi-party politics generally,” Mr Odinga disclosed after the meeting in Nairobi.
There has been simmering tension within the broad-based government following the hard stance taken by some of Mr Odinga’s close allies including ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and Siaya Governor James Orengo , and on Tuesday, Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o also weighed in.
Prof Nyong’o is a high-ranking member of the ODM party whom Mr Odinga had entrusted the party leadership with during his sabbatical to seek the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship.
Nyanza professionals accuse Orengo of undermining Ruto-Raila pact
On Tuesday, Prof Nyong’o went for Dr Ruto’s jugular, accusing his administration of undermining devolution and returning the country to the old constitutional order of the ‘Nyayo’ era.
“…the truth is that the Ruto regime has decided to go back to the pre-devolution times of the Nyayo era. The 2010 Constitution is a hindrance to its primitive (sic) accumulation schemes, which will affect not only devolution but the very ethos of building a national democratic and development state,” Prof Nyong’o stated in his hard-hitting statement.
He accused the national government under President Ruto of usurping governors’ roles with regard to the management of roads under the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (Kerra).
“The counties manage health effectively and efficiently. The national government cannot even manage Kenyatta National Hospital: one of the very few health entities in its hands,”
“The Council of Governors and all progressive forces in our Republic need to be aware of this fact and to resist it by all means necessary. The achievements of the second liberation must not be destroyed by this regime,” Prof Nyong’o charged.
His sentiments did not, however, go down well with Dr Ruto’s camp, with whom the ODM party signed a cooperation deal last month.
The cooperation deal between ODM and Dr Ruto’s UDA outlined a 10-point agenda aimed at improving governance and citizens' welfare.
It included implementing the Nadco (National Dialogue Committee) report, equitable public appointments and budget allocations, support for devolution, youth empowerment, integrity in leadership, and ending wastage and corruption.
It also addressed rights and freedoms, compensation for victims of injustice, public debt auditing, and respect for constitutionalism and the rule of law.
Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot accused Mr Odinga’s camp of blackmailing the president on Wednesday.
“It's quite hard being William Samoei Ruto (WSR). ODM members, just like all their other colleagues in the National Assembly, are intent on retaining the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF).”
“Senate has stood with the Council of Governors (COG) on this matter to the best of its abilities albeit with minimal success. Then, out of the blues in classic political pietism, Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o emerges blaming the President. A very poor blackmail attempt,” Mr Cheruiyot charged.
Ruto and Raila sign political cooperation deal
But Mr Sifuna hit back, telling Mr Cheruiyot that he has no moral authority to call out the leadership and members of the ODM party.
“The ODM Party leader Baba himself has repeatedly and consistently stated in public his position on RMLF, CDF and support of devolution.”
“We are yet to hear from the UDA Party leader on any of these matters. I distinctly remember the minority leader in the National Assembly Junet Mohamed saying they will follow Raila’s guidance on RMLF. We are yet to hear from the Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah,” Mr Sifuna said.
“The President extended an olive branch, but some have turned it into a weapon to blackmail the President,” one UDA MP remarked.
With the MoU between the two camps increasingly being questioned, the so-called broad-based government appears to be fraying at the seams.
As both sides dig in, political analysts warn that this could herald a return to a more confrontational and polarised political landscape — just as the country gears up for another crucial election cycle.
ODM Deputy Party Leader Godfrey Osotsi had also accused President Ruto’s administration of lacking commitment to the contents of their MoU.
“We signed the MoU on the basis that the Kenya Kwanza regime would prioritise the issues raised during the Azimio and Gen Z protests. We are now very much concerned about what is happening,” said the Vihiga senator.
Raila: ODM will be in 2027 ballot
Mr Osotsi added that the party is particularly troubled by repeated government actions such as the recent handling of the Butere Girls incident.
“We will be engaging further on that because it is actually a slap in the face of our MoU with UDA.”
Last week, Mr Odinga moved to restore order in his camp, calling for "civility and restraint," by party members in the wake of sharp divisions over the party's deal with the president’s UDA.
In a statement, Mr Odinga appealed to ODM members and leaders to exercise "decorum, civility, restraint and respect for each other as they debate the current state of affairs and the future of the party."
Memorandum of Understanding
"Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, the Party Leader of the Orange Democratic Movement is following the ongoing discussions on the relationship between the party and the Kenya Kwanza administration."
"He is also following the various interpretations of the Memorandum of Understanding with the United Democratic Alliance, with keen interest," read a statement by Mr Odinga’s spokesman Dennis Onyango.
It added: "Mr Odinga believes the discussions are not unique to ODM and are in line with similar such engagements that have gone on in equally strong parties in established democracies."
Mr Onyango said that "it is the position of the party leader that at the appropriate time, relevant organs of the party will harmonise the diverse views and come up with a harmonized position on the way forward."
This, some UDA legislators have read as “failure by Raila to take a common stand and decide whether he is with President Ruto who has extended an olive branch to him and incorporated his people in government, or plans to bolt out at an opportune time.”
On Wednesday, an MP from South Rift told Nation that most of them in UDA shared Mr Cheruiyot’s sentiments that some of Mr Odinga’s allies were being unfair to the president and resorted to blackmailing him.
Political activist Silas Jakakimba (far right) briefs the media at Sarova Panafric Hotel on 23 April 2025 in support of President Ruto's economic interventions. He is joined by (from left) former Mombasa County Assembly Speaker Thadius Rajwayi, Keiyo South MP Gideon Kimaiyo, Bomet Senator Wakili Hillary Sigei and Nominated MP Renee Mayaka.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
Bomet Senator Hilary Sigei and Keiyo South MP Gideon Kimaiyo defended the President’s rapprochement with Mr Odinga, noting that Kenya has a long tradition of opposing parties joining forces to move the country forward.
Accompanied by nominated MP Reene Mayaka, former Mombasa Speaker Thadius Rajwayi and Nyanza UDA coordinator Silas Jakakimba, the leaders maintained that the President should continue to reach out to different segments of the Kenyan society including engagements with religious leaders, the youth, women of Kenya, trade unions, the academia and political opposition.
Mr Jakakimba said the president’s economic interventions in agriculture, housing, financial sector, health sector, tourism and infrastructure, have demonstrably been felt across the board, hence the need to nurture unity.
“We accordingly urge the President to continue dedicating his efforts to the development and prosperity of Kenya by focusing on the pursuit of economic justice to hitherto neglected grassroots communities across the nation, empowerment for all citizens and, the nation’s stability and not to be distracted by those keen on slow-puncturing his national agenda,” he said.
But while Mr Odinga's ODM party has signed an MoU with President Ruto's UDA to work together on a ten-point agenda, Mr Orengo had warned against any rush to formalise an agreement with Kenya's Kwanza administration.
“This regime is anti-people as it disregards constitutional values,” he cautioned, hinting at growing unease even within ODM ranks over the ongoing cooperation.
Mr Sifuna went a step further, bluntly stating that President Ruto cannot be trusted as his deal could end in a stab in the back.
