President William Ruto’s plan to take ODM into a joint 2027 election campaign has run into resistance from some of his longtime allies, with the party’s demands for an equal share of power raising fresh questions over who will control the proposed alliance.
The pressure is being felt most strongly among politicians from Mt Kenya, who fear that ODM’s push for a bigger role could come at the expense of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and leaders who have stood with Ruto since the start of his political journey.
The disagreement emerged during the Broad-Based Government retreat in Naivasha, where Kisii Governor Simba Arati reportedly called for ODM and UDA to share government positions equally.
Arati also reportedly demanded that ODM be given the running mate position without conditions as part of the proposed arrangement for the 2027 General Election.
The proposals did not go down well with some Mt Kenya MPs attending the meeting, with some lawmakers reportedly leaving the retreat after the demands were raised.
Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe said it would be difficult for politicians who backed Ruto from the beginning to accept an arrangement that could see Kindiki lose his position as Deputy President.
“Imagine the deputy president seated there and the governor for Kisii would ask that the deputy president no longer serves, and that ‘wakati wa kufanya kazi imeisha, ni wakati wa kutafuta kura’,” Kagombe said.
Another lawmaker termed the intervention “a little distasteful”, highlighting the growing disagreement over how the proposed political partnership should be organised.
The dispute has left Ruto facing a difficult political calculation as he seeks to bring the two formations together ahead of the 2027 polls. Keeping Kindiki as his running mate could create unease in areas where ODM has a strong following, while replacing him could further alienate sections of the Mt Kenya leadership.
The ODM proposals were reportedly dismissed as unsuitable for the Naivasha gathering, with the leaders saying questions surrounding positions and power-sharing should be presented to the coalition-building committee being established by UDA and ODM.
Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana disputed reports that lawmakers had walked out of the retreat.
However, the debate has exposed concern among some members of Ruto’s original political camp that the emerging alliance could leave them with less room to negotiate for positions and influence.
The coalition-building team will be tasked with working out the details of the proposed partnership. Its discussions are expected to cover the coalition’s name, identity, slogan and how political positions will be distributed between the two sides.
The disagreement came shortly after Ruto announced that Kenya Kwanza and ODM had decided to move from working together in government to forming a formal political coalition for the next election.
“After consultations within our respective parties and formations, the Kenya Kwanza and the ODM have today formally resolved to develop a joint manifesto for the next election and constitute a coalition to contest the 2027 general election together,” Ruto said.
According to the President, the arrangement that began through the formation of the Broad-Based Government would now be transformed into a formal political vehicle ahead of the 2027 contest.
“What began as cooperation in government will now become a common political platform upon which we shall seek the mandate of the Kenyan people in August next year,” he said.
The events in Naivasha have since revealed the challenge facing the proposed alliance: reaching an agreement to campaign together may be easier than settling competing demands over power, positions and influence.
Kagombe said Kenya Kwanza leaders would not accept an arrangement where they continued supporting the coalition while being excluded from key decisions.
“We must be represented at the table. We cannot be giving our support and we are not at the table,” he said.
“The bare minimum is that we get what we want and if we don’t, then we call it quits. This is politics. And in politics, it is about interest and how we represent our people.”