President William Ruto has urged Nyanza residents to resist political experiments and remain within the broad-based government arrangement that he said former Prime Minister Raila Odinga left them in.
Speaking during the final leg of his Nyanza tour, Ruto sought to consolidate the political partnership between his UDA and Raila’s ODM.
The head of state told residents his rivals have nothing to offer and cannot be a substitute for the broad-based transformation agenda.
“Do not agree to do political experiments with that group that has no agenda or plan for this country. The way we agreed with Baba to form the broad-based government to bring all Kenyans together and end tribalism, that is the route we should travel,” Ruto said.
He portrayed the broad-based government as a platform through which Nyanza could secure development while remaining part of national decision-making.
The head of state warned residents against being persuaded by opposition leaders whom he accused of having no clear agenda for the country.
“Those other characters are either personality cults, tribal political parties or makeshift tribal formations which have no plan for the future of this country,” the President said.
Ruto said his rivals were offering slogans and political rhetoric without presenting an alternative programme for governing Kenya.
He urged Nyanza residents to scrutinise the agenda of those seeking to pull them out of the arrangement before making political decisions.
“Are you not the same people electing MCAs, governors, MPs and even President? Do you do that based on their appearance or track record? Where is their track record?” posed Ruto.
Ruto presented his cooperation with ODM as part of Raila’s political legacy, arguing the partnership has enabled his administration to pursue projects that were central to the former opposition leader’s vision.
During the tour, the President repeatedly invoked Raila’s position on the broad-based government, with ODM leaders also insisting they were honouring his wishes.
Treasury CS John Mbadi said it was Raila’s intention to support Ruto’s re-election in 2027. He spoke in Misambi, Kabondo Kasipul constituency.
Mbadi disclosed he was aware that Raila had intended to support Ruto in the 2027 presidential election, suggesting the former PM had envisaged the cooperation between the two political camps continuing beyond the life of the broad-based government.
“I have heard people say that Baba was not decided whether to support Ruto or not. Today I want to confirm to you here, I have worked with Baba from 1992 and I don’t even have to listen to hear Baba to know what he was thinking,” he said.
“When Baba brought us broad-based government, his words to me were very clear. He told me that I must make sure that I support President Ruto to deliver on his agenda.”
Mbadi said ODM’s decision to work with Ruto was not an accident but part of an arrangement that Raila had backed before his death.
He said Raila viewed ODM’s participation in the broad-based government as part of a wider political cooperation with Ruto.
“He [Raila] even considered Ruto as part of ODM. When Ruto became president, he felt like already ODM was part of the government,” he said.
Beyond his development tour, the President sought to anchor the region’s post-Raila politics around the agreement he had struck with the former ODM leader.
The majority of ODM leaders remain committed to the broad-based arrangement, while others, led by Siaya Governor James Orengo, have gravitated towards the opposition movement Linda Mwananchi.
Suba South MP Caroli Omondi is the only elected MP opposed to Ruto’s re-election.
The President’s four-day Nyanza tour, which took him through Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori, combined the commissioning and inspection of development projects with intensive political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 election.
The President was accompanied by Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, Interior PS Raymond Omolo, Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi, Woman Representative Joyce Bensuda, and MPs Boyd Were (Kasipul) and Eve Obara (Kabondo Kasipul).
