Governor Nassir defends ODM–UDA deal, accuses critics of betraying Raila

ODM Deputy Party Leader Abdullswamad Nassir has defended the ODM–UDA working arrangement, saying it is rooted in shared reform goals, especially land reforms and the issuance of title deeds, which he linked to commitments in Raila Odinga’s political agenda.

Speaking in Mombasa during a title deed issuance exercise for coastal residents, Nassir said the cooperation between the two parties is aimed at resolving long-standing land injustices and improving service delivery to wananchi.

“In the manifesto of the late party leader Raila Amolo Odinga mambo ya ardhi yalikuwa yamezungumzwa and in your manifesto mambo ya ardhi yakawa yamezungumzwa and today, despite our colors being yellow and orange, we have united to come up with a solution for our people,” he said.

He dismissed critics of the political arrangement, accusing them of distorting Raila Odinga’s legacy and the broader land reform struggle.

“To those accusing others of being betrayers, you are the betrayer of the cause of Raila Amolo Odinga, who shed blood, who shed tears, who was inside jail for the purposes of land for the people of this country,” Nassir said.

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He further said President William Ruto’s administration is now delivering on long-standing promises that had formed part of the opposition’s agenda.

“Today it is Ruto William Samoi Ruto under his presidency that is delivering a promise that made Raila lose his livelihood,” he said.

The remarks come amid growing divisions within ODM over its cooperation with the ruling UDA party under a broad-based arrangement.

The Linda Ground faction of ODM has backed the partnership, saying it is helping speed up service delivery and advance shared priorities such as land reforms and economic recovery.

However, the Linda Mwananchi faction has opposed the arrangement, warning it could blur the line between the opposition and government and weaken accountability.

The debate has been particularly intense on governance direction, with differing views emerging on whether ODM should remain in opposition or continue engaging with the government to push development projects.

Land ownership remains a sensitive issue along the Coast, shaped by years of unresolved adjudication, colonial-era dispossession and complex trust land systems that have left many residents without formal ownership documents.

Successive governments have rolled out land reforms and mass title deed issuance programmes, but progress has remained slow and politically contested.

The latest issuance exercise in Mombasa forms part of ongoing efforts by the government to fast-track land registration and address historical grievances, unfolding alongside renewed political cooperation between former rivals.