ODM Deputy Party Leader Simba Arati/ HANDOUTODM deputy party leader Simba Arati has declared that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will not cede the deputy president position to the United Democratic Alliance in the 2027 General Election unless President William Ruto or Deputy President Kithure Kindiki defects to ODM.
Speaking at the ODM headquarters during a meeting with party delegations from Rift Valley, Turkana, Kilgoris and Nakuru, Arati said any future electoral arrangement between ODM and UDA must reflect what he described as fairness between the two parties.
He said that if the two parties continued working together politically and President Ruto remained the presidential candidate, the deputy president position should go to ODM.
"We have told them it should be 50-50. If Ruto is the presidential candidate, then the Deputy President should come from our side. Let us agree on that," Arati said.
He added that ODM had several leaders capable of deputising President Ruto, naming Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho, Cooperatives and MSMEs Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya and party leader Oburu Odinga among those who could occupy the position.
"Joho is here. I have heard Oparanya's name being mentioned. Even our party leader can stand for deputy president. We shall organise ourselves," he said.
Arati said ODM would only relinquish its claim to the deputy president position if either President Ruto or Deputy President Kindiki joined the Orange party.
"Unless President Ruto decides not to be UDA's candidate and instead becomes ODM's candidate, then we can leave the Deputy President position. Or if Kindiki leaves UDA and joins ODM, then we can also leave him that seat. But as long as both of them remain in UDA, one of them will have to remain behind because we shall go with the other position," he said.
The Kisii Governor said he was expressing the party's position in his capacity as ODM deputy party leader.
"You know I am speaking as the deputy party leader of ODM. That is how it is," he said.
His remarks come as leaders within the broad-based government continue to publicly discuss the future of the political cooperation between ODM and UDA ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The broad-based arrangement, formed after political talks between President Ruto and former ODM leader Raila Odinga, has seen several ODM members appointed to Cabinet and other government positions, while the party has maintained that it remains independent.
Earlier during the meeting, ODM said it remained committed to the broad-based administration but insisted its identity would not be diluted.
In a statement after hosting the regional delegations, the party said it was "standing firm" in protecting ODM's identity while advancing social justice and equity within the broad-based government.
ODM said it had officially begun negotiations on collaborative policy frameworks with its partners but stressed that the party "is distinct and cannot and will not be swallowed."
The party also reaffirmed that Turkana remains an ODM stronghold and said it would continue championing development and equity through its participation in the broad-based administration.
