NAIROBI, Kenya — The Orange Democratic Movement’s (ODM) evolving position on Kenya’s deputy presidency has reignited debate over the future of the party’s alliance with President William Ruto’s ruling coalition, exposing growing tensions over power-sharing ahead of the 2027 General Election.
What was once dismissed as speculation has now become an explicit political demand.
Over the past several months, ODM leaders have moved from appearing to downplay interest in the deputy president’s office to openly declaring it a central objective in any pre-election coalition agreement with Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
The latest remarks by acting party leader Oburu Oginga Odinga, who has repeatedly argued that ODM “will negotiate hard” for the deputy presidency, have reinforced the perception that the party is positioning itself for a larger share of executive power should the broad-based arrangement evolve into an electoral coalition.
From caution to open demand
The shift has been gradual but unmistakable.
When the broad-based government arrangement between ODM and UDA emerged, several ODM leaders portrayed the partnership as one focused on governance and national stability rather than the distribution of political offices.
However, internal discussions within ODM have increasingly centred on the party’s long-term political relevance after the death of veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga and ahead of the next election.
During party meetings earlier this year, Oburu clarified that reports suggesting ODM had abandoned interest in the deputy presidency were inaccurate.
Instead, he said the office remains the party’s preferred target during coalition negotiations, stressing that the position belongs to the public rather than any individual officeholder.
That position has since gained traction among sections of the party.
In recent weeks, senior ODM figures have publicly endorsed Cooperative Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya as their preferred candidate for the deputy president’s position should President Ruto seek re-election under a formal UDA-ODM coalition.
Internal calculations within ODM
Political analysts say the renewed push reflects broader strategic calculations rather than a sudden policy shift.
ODM has spent nearly two decades as Kenya’s principal opposition movement, but participation in the broad-based government has created internal divisions over whether cooperation with President Ruto strengthens or weakens the party’s identity.
The debate has become increasingly pronounced between leaders advocating continued engagement with government and others who fear the party risks losing its opposition credentials.
Those internal disagreements have been visible through competing factions, leadership disputes and differing views over ODM’s direction after Raila Odinga’s exit from active politics.
For supporters of the deputy president bid, securing the country’s second-highest office would demonstrate that ODM’s cooperation with UDA yields tangible political influence.
Others argue that insisting on the position risks destabilising the delicate balance underpinning the broad-based arrangement.
Resistance from Mount Kenya
ODM’s ambitions have been met with immediate resistance from leaders allied to Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
Several Mount Kenya politicians have declared the deputy presidency “non-negotiable”, arguing that Kindiki should retain the office through the next electoral cycle.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku and other leaders have publicly rejected ODM’s claims, warning that attempts to renegotiate the position could strain the alliance between the two parties.
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The dispute illustrates the competing expectations that have emerged since ODM joined the broad-based government.
While ODM increasingly views executive power-sharing as part of future coalition talks, sections of UDA regard existing constitutional offices as already settled.
What it means for 2027 general election
Although neither UDA nor ODM has formally announced an electoral coalition for the 2027 General Election, the debate over the deputy presidency offers an early indication of the negotiations likely to dominate Kenyan politics over the coming months.
ODM’s evolving messaging suggests the party is no longer content with cooperation based solely on Cabinet representation.
Instead, its leaders increasingly appear to be positioning the deputy presidency as a benchmark for measuring the value of any future alliance with President Ruto.
Whether that demand becomes a negotiating position or a political red line may ultimately determine the shape of Kenya’s next governing coalition.
For now, what is clear is that ODM’s position has shifted—from appearing indifferent to the deputy presidency to openly arguing that the office should form part of its political bargain.
That evolution has transformed what was once an internal party discussion into one of the earliest and most significant fault lines in Kenya’s race towards the 2027 election.
