ODM secret ‘weapon’ in talks with Ruto ahead of 2027 polls

The ODM top leadership has quietly agreed to open coalition talks with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka even as it formally initiates negotiations with President William Ruto’s UDA.

The dual-track strategy is likely to put Ruto in a tight political corner as ODM has demanded a running mate slot as the irreducible minimum in supporting the President’s re-election bid.

Kalonzo, who is a key cog of the United Opposition, was the only party leader outside UDA that the ODM Central Management Committee resolved to negotiate with.

Key ODM leaders have consistently said they cannot work with Gachagua, citing what they say is a divisive character.

Sources present at the meeting told the Star that the party resolved to pursue parallel engagements—reaching out to Ruto’s UDA and Kalonzo.

Insiders describe the move as a deliberate hedge amid fluid political realignments following the death of party leader Raila Odinga.

The Star has established that an earlier proposal to exclusively engage the ruling party was rejected.

Interestingly, Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, who is the lone anti-Ruto voice in the ODM executive, was absent from the CMC meeting on Monday.

“There was a stronger feeling that we must talk to Kalonzo, and it was agreed that we talk to both Kalonzo and UDA,” a source who attended the meeting told the Star.

Insiders say ODM is keen to keep channels open with Kalonzo, a longtime ally of Raila who stood by him in the last three general elections, twice serving as his running mate.

The move has significant implications for President Ruto.

Some ODM insiders say the party is using its engagement with Kalonzo as leverage in talks with UDA, insisting that any political accommodation must guarantee ODM a dominant stake, at a minimum, the deputy president’s slot.

That stance leaves Ruto squeezed between appeasing ODM’s demands and managing his own internal succession dynamics.

Ruto has Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who hopes to be retained as number two as UDA eyes Mt Kenya East votes.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi also hopes Ruto could elevate him as the President salivates for the vote-rich Luhya votes.

The meeting at Vipingo, Kilifi county, was chaired by party leader Oburu Oginga.

It was attended by, among others, national chairperson Gladys Wanga, deputy party leaders Simba Arati and Abdulswamad Nassir and director of elections Junet Mohammed.

Others were National Assembly minority leader Millie Odhiambo, Senate minority leader Stewart Madzayo, Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullah, ODM national treasurer Timothy Bosire, executive director Oduor Ong’wen and youth leader John Ketora.

Addressing a press conference on Monday after the day-long meeting, Oburu said the committee gave him a go-ahead to engage like-minded partners, starting with UDA, which already has broad-based engagement with the ruling outfit.

The party noted that with the general election scheduled for next year, it could not afford to delay its preparations.

“The committee directed that structured work commence immediately towards positioning ODM not only to contest in next year’s general elections, but to form the next government, including policy development, organisational readiness, coalition building and candidate preparedness,” the party said.

“The committee meeting expressed the intention to initiate structured negotiations with different political formations, beginning with UDA,” the statement said.

“To this end, we have mandated the party leader to commence this process. Concurrently, consultations with party members will proceed, culminating in the National Delegates Convention.”

At the same meeting, the CMC resolved that Oburu convene a meeting with Sifuna and Junet in an effort to defuse escalating tensions within the party.

The two leaders have been at the centre of growing factionalism, with disagreements over the party’s direction and its posture towards the Ruto administration spilling into the open.

“We also tasked the party leader to bring Junet and Sifuna to a table and solve the differences they might be having and which we think is affecting the normal operations of our party,” the source said.

Sifuna was a no-show during the Monday’s Central Management meeting so was deputy party leader Godfrey Osotsi.

The Nairobi senator is leading a camp that is opposed to any cooperation with Ruto under the Broad-Based arrangement, a position which sparked calls for him to be removed from the key office.

According to Oburu, the two lawmakers sent apologies after missing flights for the crucial meetings.

“Honourable Osotsi, who is the deputy party leader, is in South Africa. He sent his apologies for being unable to attend. He tried to catch a flight to the meeting, but he missed one unfortunately,” he said.

“Sifuna also sent his apologies for this meeting; he missed his flight. Both of them have the committee’s permission for failing to attend.”

Oburu’s outreach is aimed at calming nerves and preventing the internal rifts from deepening at a time when ODM is already under pressure from external political realignments.