Ruto moves to mend ODM-UDA rift with joint public functions

President William Ruto on Thursday moved to contain growing tensions within his fragile political arrangement with ODM.

He convened a high-stakes meeting at State House that exposed both the necessity and the strain of the Broad-Based Government.

The President brought together top decision-making organs from the ruling UDA and its political partner ODM in what insiders described as a decisive attempt to steady a relationship that has, in recent weeks, been rocked by public spats, mistrust and open political brinkmanship.

The closed-door meeting, held in the morning, brought together members of the UDA steering committee and the ODM Central Committee led by party leader Oburu Oginga, signalling the seriousness with which both sides now view the emerging cracks.

At the centre of the discussions was a growing recognition that, without deliberate political management, the alliance risks unravelling under the weight of competing interests, especially at the grassroots where rivalry between the two outfits has been intensifying.

The meeting resolved to establish a joint committee to address emerging issues threatening unity under the Broad-Based government.

This effectively creates a structured mechanism for managing disputes that have increasingly played out in public.

According to sources who attended, the leaders agreed on a raft of measures aimed at cooling tempers and restoring cohesion.

These include joint public engagements where leaders from both sides will appear together at rallies and official functions to project unity.

“The future is bright. We agreed to be talking to each other and not at each other. We have created two layers to guide our relationship and you will see more of our respective party organs holding joint meetings,” a source privy to the deliberations said.

The parties also agreed to institutionalise regular consultations through joint meetings of their top organs, with the next session already scheduled for next week.

These forums are expected to serve as an early warning and response system for disputes, as well as a platform to align policy positions and coordinate political strategy.

Beyond internal coordination, the two parties are also planning joint political activities targeting key constituencies, particularly the youth and women, in what appears to be a calculated effort to build a shared political base and reduce competition at the grassroots.

These engagements will be spearheaded by ODM chairperson Gladys Wanga and her UDA counterpart Cecily Mbarire, further signalling a shift towards structured cooperation at both leadership and operational levels.

Ruto’s personal intervention comes against the backdrop of escalating friction that has laid bare the uneasy nature of the ODM-UDA arrangement.

In recent days, ODM has openly accused its partner of disrespect and political hostility, even threatening to freeze cooperation and scale back support for the President’s re-election campaign.

The tensions boiled over last week.

The Orange party, in a strongly worded statement read by acting secretary general Catherine Omanyo following a Central Committee meeting, accused senior UDA officials of making “unwarranted public utterances” that were fuelling anxiety within its ranks.

“As a party that believes in its principles, ideology and the foundation on which it was founded, we demand respect from the UDA party,” the statement read, signalling a rare moment of open defiance within the alliance.

Although Oburu later sought to downplay the situation, insisting there were no formal talks to stall, the public messaging from ODM pointed to deeper frustrations over how the partnership is being managed.

At the heart of the dispute lies the contentious issue of zoning—an arrangement where coalition partners agree not to field competing candidates in certain regions.

ODM has been pushing for zoning in its perceived strongholds, arguing that it is a minimum condition for any meaningful political cooperation.

UDA, however, has rejected the proposal.

Speaking in Kilifi earlier this month, UDA secretary general Hassan Omar dismissed the idea, insisting every party has the democratic right to field candidates across the country.

“ODM are saying the Coast is their stronghold and it should be left to them. I want to tell them that the Coast region belongs to its residents. They should allow us to compete fairly,” Omar said.

“If you believe this is your stronghold, then why are you worried? Come, campaign, and win,” he added, capturing UDA’s broader position on open political competition.

ODM leaders have, however, doubled down on zoning as a non-negotiable demand.

Speaking in Kisumu, Wanga made it clear that zoning would form part of the preconditions for any structured engagement with the ruling party.

“If we are going for negotiations, we are going as equal partners, not as a weaker party,” Wanga said, reflecting a growing insistence within ODM on political parity.

Other leaders, including Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi, have gone further, warning that ODM will resist any attempt by UDA to field candidates in its traditional bases.

“There is no negotiation when it comes to zoning. We are not going to allow UDA to plant candidates in our strongholds,” Atandi said.

It is this widening gulf between cooperation at the top and competition at the grassroots that appears to have triggered Ruto’s intervention. The President is keen to prevent the alliance from sliding into open conflict.

During the State House meeting, sources said Ruto urged both sides to tone down their positions on zoning, suggesting that the issue would ease over time as the partnership matures.

“The President said the two sides should gel first and the issues like zoning will just fizzle out,” a source who attended the meeting said.

In a joint statement co-signed by Ruto and Oburu, the two leaders announced the formation of a Broad-Based Management Committee comprising party leaders, selected Cabinet Secretaries, and the Majority and Minority leaders in Parliament.

The committee will be tasked with coordinating and synchronising the legislative and executive agenda of government to ensure coherence, efficiency and effective service delivery.

“Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to constructive dialogue, unity of purpose and a shared vision for national development and inclusive governance,” the statement read in part.

Yet even as the leadership projects unity, analysts say the underlying tensions are unlikely to disappear in the short term.

The ODM-UDA arrangement, while politically expedient, brings together parties with distinct identities, support bases and long-term ambitions, making friction almost inevitable.

The dispute over zoning, in particular, reflects a deeper struggle over political territory ahead of the 2027 elections, where both parties are keen to protect and expand their influence without conceding ground.

Ruto’s intervention, therefore, is as much about political survival as it is about governance.

The stability of his administration depends significantly on keeping the broad-based arrangement intact, even as internal contradictions persist.

The creation of joint structures and regular consultation mechanisms may help manage tensions in the short term. However, the durability of the alliance will ultimately depend on how far each side is willing to compromise without appearing politically diminished.

For now, the State House truce offers a temporary reset. But beneath the surface, the contest for political space continues to simmer, raising fresh questions about whether unity at the top can hold against rivalry on the ground.