Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga convened the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Central Management Committee (CMC) at the party’s Riverside offices in Nairobi, signaling a key step in ODM’s preparations for the 2027 general election coalition talks.
The meeting, confirmed by ODM Deputy Leader and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir on August 4, 2026, gathered party leadership amid ongoing consultations with county delegates. While the meeting’s resolutions remain undisclosed, it underscores ODM’s strategic positioning ahead of formal negotiations with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Negotiation Priorities
- ODM has established a five-member negotiating team plus an executive secretary to engage UDA counterparts on a coalition framework.
- The party is firm on securing the Deputy President position for an ODM member, challenging the current Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s role unless he joins ODM.
- ODM has proposed three candidates for the deputy presidential slot: Cooperatives CS Wycliffe Oparanya, Mining CS Hassan Joho, and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, with Oparanya considered the frontrunner.
- Respect for political strongholds is non-negotiable; ODM insists UDA should avoid contesting in ODM’s traditional areas.
- ODM demands a 50-50 power-sharing arrangement covering Cabinet seats, parliamentary leadership, ambassadorial roles, heads of state corporations, Principal Secretaries, and other senior government posts.
These demands reflect ODM’s intent to secure significant influence within a prospective coalition government supporting President William Ruto’s re-election bid. Party officials emphasize that these conditions are critical to any coalition agreement with UDA.
