The United Democratic Alliance, UDA, has formally mandated President William Ruto, who is also the party leader, to begin structured negotiations with the Orange Democratic Movement with a view to sealing a coalition agreement ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The decision was reached on Wednesday during a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee, where members were also briefed on the outcome of UDA’s recently concluded grassroots election held in 20 counties on January 10.
Speaking after the meeting, President Ruto said this would help give direction and structure to the growing political cooperation between the two parties.
“We are putting in place mechanisms for structured engagement with the ODM Party in order to deepen our political cooperation, build consensus on shared priorities, and provide a clear framework through which dialogue, coordination, and partnership can take place,” Ruto said.
He added that this was not only about strengthening the current working relationship but also preparing the ground for a formal coalition in readiness for the 2027 polls, noting that stability and effective governance remained a key priority.
The UDA resolution now comes only days after ODM declared its own course for structured negotiations with other political parties, which included UDA. ODM’s decision was made on Monday, January 12, during a Central Committee meeting held in Kilifi County.
In a statement issued after that meeting, ODM Deputy Party Leader Oburu Oginga said the party had resolved to actively pursue pre-election alliances as part of a broader strategy aimed at consolidating its influence at the national level and preparing itself for the next election cycle.
The NEC observed within UDA that the cooperation between the two parties has already taken off under the Kenya Kwanza Coalition framework, such as the joint adoption of NADCO 10-point agenda report of 2024 and ODM members joining key government roles.
This cooperation has further been advanced to include electoral cooperation, with UDA and ODM supporting each other’s candidates in the by-elections slated for November 27, 2025, a strategy that has ensured the coalition won all the contested Senate and National Assembly seats.
Now that ODM has officially declared its hand and readiness for coalition talks, the UDA NEC mandated President Ruto to establish mechanisms that will drive negotiations and seal the partnership in good time before the 2027 General Election.
Beyond coalition politics, NEC also received presentations from the National Elections Board (NEB) and the Electoral and Nomination Dispute Resolution Committee (
The reports indicated that 492,439 candidates contested for 231,770 positions across 17,953 polling centres nationwide, with about 2.4 million party members participating in the exercise.
Results showed that 56 per cent of those elected were men and 44 per cent were women, while youths accounted for 33 per cent-figures the party said reflected its commitment to inclusive leadership at the grassroots.
However, the NEC instructed the NEB to conduct repeat elections after 30 days in centres where voting is incomplete or turnout is poor.
It also instructed the board to prepare for ward-level elections countrywide and roll out a clear calendar for member sensitisation and aspirant registration.