The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has approved a working partnership deal between President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, months after the formation of the broad-based government in July last year.
This comes after the Head of State held a Parliamentary Group meeting earlier on Friday March 7 with UDA leaders, who approved a joint framework with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
In a statement, President William Ruto hailed the deal as a commitment to national unity and a bipartisan approach to governance.
“This is the time to put Kenya and the people ahead of any other consideration. We will work together, our political inclinations notwithstanding, to take our country forward. Kenya, and the people, must succeed,” Ruto said.
Similarly, Raila convened a Central Management Committee meeting of the ODM party on Thursday ahead of the anticipated signing of the coalition agreement.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei said this will deepen and widen broad-based arrangement and foster national unity, peace, equity development, prosperity of our nation.
The deal is set to be signed at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Friday, March 7.
This political marriage is expected to immediately trigger political realignments, with the infighting between a section of opposition bigwigs and Raila anticipated to come to an end.
The signing of the pact comes after Raila concluded a week-long nationwide tour, during which he had been ‘consulting’ his supporters on his party’s next political move.
Since his unsuccessful bid for the African Union Commission Chairperson, Raila has held meetings in Kisumu, Siaya, Migori, Homa Bay, Busia, Kilifi, Kwale, Wajir, and has been ramping up his consultations in Kisii.
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Ruto and Raila Political Union
Ruto and Raila have been working together since July 2024, following Gen Z protests, when the President reconstituted his cabinet by appointing four senior ODM members to key positions.
The four include John Mbadi, appointed Treasury CS, James Opiyo Wandayi, Energy CS, Ali Hassan Joho, Mining and Blue Economy CS, and Wycliffe Oparanya, Cooperatives and MSMEs Development CS.
In December 2024, Raila allies Prof. Adams Oloo, Joe Ager, and Dr. Silvester Kasuku were appointed as State House advisors, signaling a political marriage between the president and Raila.
Adams Oloo is now a member of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel.
Also Read: Ruto Under Pressure to Declare a National Emergency
Parliamentary Purge
This also comes after Ruto and Raila completed the parliamentary purge of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s allies from the leadership of committees in the National Assembly and the Senate with ODM assuming leadership of at least seven committees.
Some of the MPs who have been proposed for committee leadership include Sam Atandi (Budget and Appropriation), Benard Shinali (Trade), Irene Mayaka (Regional Intergration), Ken Chonga (Labour) and James Nyikal (Health).
Meanwhile, in the Senate, Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga is the new chair of the Energy committee while his Migori counterpart Eddy Oketch chairs Transport.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta is said to have tried at the last minute to dissuade Raila from the deal when the two met at the Coast this week.
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