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President William Ruto (left) and ODM leader Oburu Oginga.
The question of President William Ruto’s 2027 election running mate slot, zoning and implementation of the 10-point agenda is emerging as the most contentious issues that could derail coalition talks between the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
Within ODM, a vicious jostling for regional representation has also emerged. Coast MPs have publicly demanded that Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho be included in the talks.
Sunday Nation has further established that Kisii Governor Simba Arati and Cooperatives and MSMEs Development Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya have also made similar demands for their regions.
Both UDA and ODM – through their various party organs – have authorised President William Ruto and Oburu Oginga to constitute the negotiating team. But some of the emerging competing interests appear to have slowed the process, with both camps engaging in wide consultations.
National Assembly Majority Leader Junet Mohammed told Sunday Nation that ODM was yet to identify a team for the talks. He, however, did not provide any reasons for the delay. ODM vice-chairman and Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo, last Saturday – during the Lake Region Community Dialogues – asked Dr Oginga not to be part of the negotiating team, but instead pick his foot soldiers.
“We all want structured negotiations. But when we go for these talks, you need to take a back seat and allow your foot soldiers to take charge,” said Dr Amollo. ODM, through its Central Management Committee, had authorised the coalition talks on January 12.
During a visit to ODM’s backyard in Kisumu, President Ruto on Friday asked the region to allow him to hold talks, saying he had the region’s best interests at heart.
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.
“Today, I am asking for your permission, the people of Kisumu, to allow UDA and ODM to work together and form the next government. Allow me to sit down and talk with Dr Oburu Oginga and plan a new government to get rid of ethnicity and bad leadership,” said Dr Ruto in Kondele, Kisumu.
Power sharing, which includes the sharing of key portfolios, is also emerging as an emotive matter, with certain individuals in UDA fighting to protect their positions.
ODM, through Dr Oginga, has since laid claim to the running mate slot as an irreducible minimum for the party to back President Ruto’s re-election. This position seems to be resisted by allies of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki. Prof Kindiki is latching on to being retained as the country’s second in command as a tool to rally the populous Mt Kenya region to back Dr Ruto’s re-election.
Mt Kenya, together with Rift Valley, swept Dr Ruto to power in 2022. But the region is seen to be drifting away from UDA following the impeachment of Mr Rigathi Gachagua as Deputy President.
UDA National Chairperson and Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire set the tone during UDA’s National Governing Council meeting by openly making a case for the retention of DP Kindiki as Dr Ruto’s running mate come 2027.
Ms Mbarire said Prof Kindiki has given the ruling regime a fresh impetus that the President missed when he had Mr Gachagua as his deputy.
“You (Kindiki) have the support of the entire UDA and the affiliates. The deputy president has given us fresh impetus with the ‘faya si faya’ slogan. He has also been crisscrossing the entire country talking about government projects without fear,” she added.
Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana also expressed fears that “children of the house” might be forgotten in the talks with ODM.
He pleaded with the President to constitute a team, as part of negotiations with ODM, that will represent the worries of “the children of the house”.
“As we go into structured negotiations, we, the children of the House, are very worried because sometimes the people who have been in the house tend to be sidelined when the other children from outside come inside,” said Mr Mungatana.
“We don’t know the team that is being constituted by our party to go into the negotiations, but inasmuch as we support you, please remember the children of the house,” he added.
Bigger position
The President, however, appeared to sidestep making any commitment about the DP slot. Instead, he said UDA would retain the top seat – the presidency. He promised win-win negotiations.
“I want to tell Mungatana that with the negotiations that have gone on so far, the President is still in UDA, just for your information. I don’t think there is any bigger position that you can think about than that of the President,” he said.
Prof David Monda, a US-based university lecturer and political analyst, says the talks would largely be affected by the demands being made by ODM. He also cites fulfilment of the 10-point agenda as a major factor in the talks.
“Meeting ODM’s demands in order to be included in a pre-2027 coalition, and how far ODM can push UDA and President Ruto in order to get as many concessions as possible,” says Prof Monda.
ODM Party leader Dr Oburu Oginga, President William Ruto and ODM Chairperson Gladys Wanga share a cake during ODM@20 celebrations at Sarova Whitesands in Mombasa on November 16, 2025
Jitters have also emerged in ODM that some parties, including affiliates in the broad-based government, are exploiting the rapprochement and absence of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to make inroads in its traditional zones.
UDA, the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) of former Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) associated with former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, and the Movement for Democracy and Growth of Ugenya MP David Ochieng’ are some of the parties currently scheming to make an entry into Nyanza, Gusii, Western and Coast regions.
It is on the basis of this fear that the party, through its National Chairperson Gladys Wanga and other party stalwarts, is demanding zoning within the broad-based government arrangement as a means of ring-fencing its bastions.
Insiders believe that it is only by retaining its traditional bastions that ODM would have a substantive stake in the next government. But this demand has since rattled some UDA members in the ODM zones. It has also rattled some ODM members who want options in the event they feel shortchanged in the party primaries.
President William Ruto and ODM party leader Oburu Oginga at Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay Town during a sports tournament dubbed Genowa Governor’s Cup on December 28, 2025.
ODM has, for successive elections, been faulted for not conducting free and fair nominations. Those apprehensive of being shortchanged in the party primaries are already plotting to join other partner parties ahead of the next elections.
Those opposed to zoning say such an arrangement would deny the region the right leaders. There are also fears that it could lead to voter apathy, which in turn would hurt Dr Ruto’s re-election.
UDA Chairman for Homa Bay Kennedy Obuya questioned why ODM was out to stifle multiparty democracy that it claims to fight for. He described the demand as a sign of a party that is scared of any serious political competition.
10-point memorandum of understanding
“ODM is our sister party based on the broad-based agreement that spelt out the 10-point agenda. Zoning is not part of the agreement. ODM has constantly told us how it is the biggest party in the region; if it is that big, what is the fear?
“They have no reason to fear any other party in the region. They are also free to field candidates across the country, because that is what democracy provides for,” said Mr Obuya.
Implementation of the 10-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between UDA and ODM last year is also contentious. Those opposed to the talks are basing their opposition on the alleged failure by the ruling party to implement it.
President William Ruto shares a light moment with Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga when he visited Siaya County on January 14, 2023.
ODM co-deputy party leader and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi said that ODM leaders supporting Dr Ruto’s re-election have to tell Kenyans what items have since been implemented.
“The 10-point agenda is not just a Raila legacy desire but his gift to Kenyans. It should therefore not be trivialised by those tasked to implement it and those tasked to oversee it.
“It is disheartening that some leaders want to prioritise less urgent matters like an ODM–UDA coalition at the expense of this agenda. It will be the greatest political fraud for the Agnes Zani committee to be used to rubber-stamp a false narrative on implementation of the 10-point agenda,” said Mr Osotsi.
But National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Chairperson and Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi said most of the agenda items have been implemented.
For instance, Mr Atandi said regions that have in the past received skewed allocations for national development have started getting their fair share.
The MoU also recommended Sh450 billion as equitable shareable revenue for counties. Mr Atandi said in the current budget, counties have been allocated Sh415 billion, and the plan is to meet the set figure in the next financial year.
He also cited budget allocations for road projects, which he said reflect equitable sharing of national resources.
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