DAP–Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa has said that the opposition was blindsided by the secret talks between Raila Odinga, President William Ruto, and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, which later evolved into a formal post-election pact between the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
Speaking on the events that began in July 2023 at Radio Generation on Wednesday, Wamalwa said the Azimio coalition was not aware of the initial meeting that took place in Mombasa between Raila, Ruto, and Obasanjo.
He noted that they, too, learned about it from the public when photos emerged online.
“Raila came and told us, after they met in Mombasa with President Ruto and President Obasanjo, that they later met President Museveni. We never knew this was happening — we saw the photos the same way everyone else did,” Wamalwa said.
He explained that upon returning, Raila briefed the Azimio team, indicating that they had agreed to engage in national dialogue to resolve political differences.
However, Wamalwa said the talks never translated into action. “It was never implemented,” he said, adding that the process later evolved into a formal post-election pact between ODM and UDA signed in March 2025 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
Wamalwa expressed disappointment that President Ruto had not engaged other coalition partners besides Raila. “Up to now, President William Ruto has never engaged us. He only engaged our leader. It was between the two of them — Ruto as the UDA leader and Raila as the ODM leader,” he said. “It was not about the coalition; it was about the two parties.”
He revealed that some Azimio partners had opposed Raila’s move, arguing that Ruto was unlikely to change. “The only way we will change direction is by changing the leadership, and for that, we are prepared to take him on at the next general election,” Wamalwa said.
Wamalwa recalled that he had warned Raila that the deal would backfire. “I told him, Raila, this is a poison chalice,” he said, maintaining that he refused to sign the agreement when it was brought before coalition partners. “That process ran its course, and we got nothing out of it.”
He added that ODM’s decision to stay in what Raila termed a “broad-based government” meant they would now face off in the next election. “At his funeral, leaders from his party said they will remain in the broad-based government, meaning they’ll be our opponents. We are determined to take out William Ruto and all his cronies, and if ODM is on that side, they must be ready to face us,” he stated.
Raila had earlier confirmed that he privately met President Ruto in Mombasa on July 29, 2023, in the presence of Obasanjo. “We were only three in the room — Obasanjo, Ruto, and myself. It was not at State House but at another location,” Raila said, adding that he flew into Mombasa in the evening and left the following morning.
A day after the meeting, Azimio leaders released a statement confirming that discussions had taken place, though Raila did not reveal what was said by Obasanjo during the closed-door session.
The March 7, 2025 pact between Ruto and Raila, signed at KICC, formalized their political cooperation, marking a new chapter in Kenya’s post-election landscape
