RUTO YIELDS TO ODM POWER DEMANDS

President William Ruto has signalled willingness to accommodate demands for equitable distribution of government positions as negotiations between his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) gather momentum ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Speaking during his tour of Nyamira County on Sunday, November 8, 2026, Ruto said the two parties would negotiate an arrangement aimed at ensuring every Kenyan community and region gets an opportunity to participate in national leadership.

The President said the proposed partnership would seek to eliminate tribalism, political hostility and discrimination while promoting inclusivity in government.

“Tumesema tutaketi chini UDA na ODM na tutanegotiate na tutakubaliana vile Kenya hii tutahakikisha ya kwamba tunaondoa ukabila, tunaondoa chuki na ubaguzi, tuwe na usawa katika taifa letu la Kenya,” Ruto said.

He added that leadership opportunities should extend across the country's communities and regions to ensure equitable representation.

“Nafasi ya uongozi katika serikali yetu ipatikane na ijumuishe kila jamii ya Kenya na kila sehemu na pande ya Kenya ndo usawa ipatikane na Kenya iweze kupiga hatua ya kwenda mbele,” he added.

His remarks come amid growing pressure from ODM leaders for a formal, written coalition agreement that would define the party's stake in the next government, with the Deputy President's position emerging as a major point of contention.

ODM has already settled on Ruto as its preferred presidential candidate for the August 10, 2027 General Election, with the two parties reportedly agreeing to establish a joint campaign committee and a common campaign treasury account.

However, the understanding on Ruto's presidential candidature has not settled questions surrounding the distribution of government positions, elective seats and other political responsibilities.

National Assembly Minority Leader and ODM Director of Elections Junet Mohamed maintained that negotiations should now concentrate on positions below the presidency.

“We have agreed that President Ruto will be our presidential candidate in 2027. That one is sorted. We are not searching for any presidential candidate. Anything below the presidency is up for grabs,” Junet said.

Several ODM figures, including Deputy Party Leader Simba Arati and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir, have pushed for a written Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to guarantee the party's interests before committing fully to the re-election arrangement.

These demands have also exposed differences within the proposed partnership, particularly over ODM's calls for an equitable 50-50 distribution of government appointments, including Cabinet positions, diplomatic postings and parastatal leadership.

ODM party leader Dr Oburu Oginga Odinga has maintained that the party will not enter the proposed coalition as a junior partner, insisting that its national political standing must be reflected in the eventual agreement.

Oburu, who took over the party's leadership following the death of his younger brother, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, in October 2025, has defended ODM's participation in the broad-based government as a deliberate political decision rather than an unconditional endorsement of the administration.

Addressing supporters virtually at Jacaranda Grounds on October 31, 2026, he said:

“We are in this broad-based government, and we are not there blindly. Raila did not go there blindly... We are there consciously, and we are there knowing what we are doing.”

He has also maintained that no elective position, including the presidency, should automatically be excluded from future coalition negotiations, while insisting that the original ten-point agenda agreed upon by Ruto and the late Raila must be fully implemented.

The proposed power-sharing arrangement has, however, encountered resistance from sections of Ruto's political camp, particularly leaders from the Mount Kenya region who are opposed to surrendering the Deputy President's position.

Governors Irungu Kang'ata and Kimani Wamatangi, alongside MP Jayne Kihara, were among leaders reported to have boycotted a joint UDA-ODM retreat in Naivasha amid disagreements over the proposed arrangement.

UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar has also pushed back against attempts to restrict political positions along regional lines, maintaining that parties should retain the freedom to compete nationally.

Other government allies have questioned ODM's demands, arguing that the party has already benefited from appointments in the current administration.

Beyond the political negotiations, Ruto used his Nyamira tour to announce major infrastructure and electricity investments targeting the Gusii region.

The President outlined Sh11 billion for the construction and improvement of 180 kilometres of roads across Nyamira County, alongside Sh500 million for electricity connections targeting 6,840 households.

The President's engagements in the Gusii region come as he seeks to consolidate political support ahead of the 2027 elections, with the region having historically backed ODM and its former leader Raila Odinga.

In the 2022 presidential election, Raila secured 264,988 votes, representing 65.15 per cent of the vote in Kisii County, while Simba Arati won the gubernatorial contest with 68.54 per cent. Raila had also received 55.28 per cent of the county vote in 2017.

Kisii's electorate has since grown beyond 700,000 following additional voter registration, making the wider Gusii region an important political battleground for the approaching election.

ODM is expected to enter the power-sharing negotiations banking on its traditional strongholds, where it has consistently enjoyed considerable political support, with the Gusii region being among them.