The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is taking a guarded approach in ongoing coalition talks ahead of the 2027 General Election, with Acting Secretary General Catherine Omanyo making it clear the party has not settled on any alliance.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Thursday, Omanyo said ODM is deliberately avoiding premature commitments as it weighs its options, drawing from past political deals to protect its influence and bargaining position.
“We are very sharp. People might say whatever they want to say, but ODM is not going to be like Turkeys voting for Christmas,” she said, stressing the party’s focus on securing arrangements that serve its long-term goals.
She explained that any future coalition would be guided by trust and shared interests, noting that relationships alone would not be enough.
“We can have friends, but preference… we want to see if their handshake matches our smile.”
Omanyo pointed to the party’s political journey under Raila Odinga as a key influence on its current thinking, saying past experiences have made ODM more careful in how it approaches alliances.
“We have been through valleys… and as we keep looking at the scars that we incur along the way, we become more wiser in our arrangements, our ideas, decisions, because we do not want to let Baba down,” she said.
She dismissed claims that ODM is ready to align itself with any coalition, insisting the party is still evaluating multiple paths.
“People have been discussing about us just jumping into the bandwagon of coalitions. We are not yet there… people must understand that we have so many options.”
Omanyo outlined two possible directions for the party—forming coalitions before the election or negotiating arrangements after the vote—while cautioning that rushed decisions could weaken ODM and hand an advantage to opponents.
“If we are very strong… both heavyweights go at it… we make it so easier for the opponent,” she cautioned.
Her remarks come at a time when debate is growing within ODM over possible cooperation with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), especially around the contentious issue of zoning.
ODM Chairperson Gladys Wanga has recently insisted the party will only enter talks from a position of strength.
“If we are going for negotiations, we are going as equal partners, not as a weaker party,” Wanga said, underlining the party’s demand for clear zoning arrangements in any deal with UDA.
At the same time, Suna East MP Junet Mohamed has warned that ODM will not уступ its traditional strongholds, reflecting concerns within the party over how far it should go in accommodating potential partners.
“We can’t negotiate on anything that touches on our party strength,” he said.
The zoning question has now emerged as a major sticking point in any potential ODM-UDA arrangement, with ODM keen to safeguard its influence in key regions even as UDA seeks to expand its reach nationwide.
Amid these internal discussions, Omanyo maintained that ODM’s leadership has been given room to engage and explore possible partnerships, but stressed that no final decisions have been made.
“We have enough women and men who can go and negotiate… everything I’m saying is subject to negotiations,” she said.