ODM opens pre-election coalition talks with UDA ahead of 2027 polls

The decision was reached during a day-long meeting of the party’s Central Management Committee (CMC) held in Kilifi County and chaired by party leader Dr Oburu Odinga.

The committee resolved to begin structured negotiations with other political formations, starting with UDA, with the aim of forming a broad-based coalition.

Dr Odinga was formally mandated to spearhead the talks on behalf of the party. He said the negotiations would be conducted alongside nationwide consultative rallies to gather views from ODM members, beginning Wednesday at Kamukunji Grounds in Kibra.

If the talks yield a framework agreement, the party will convene a National Delegates Convention (NDC) to ratify the coalition deal.

In a statement following the meeting, the party said consultations with members would continue throughout the negotiation period, culminating in the NDC as the supreme decision-making organ of the party.

Shortly after the Kilifi meeting, ODM Members of Parliament held a separate meeting in Nairobi to endorse the CMC resolutions. The lawmakers urged the party leadership to move swiftly and engage potential coalition partners on what they described as a “give-and-take” basis to secure a pathway to government in 2027.

Several MPs publicly backed the decision to open talks with UDA, calling on party members to rally behind the leadership and prioritise unity as the negotiations begin.

However, the Kilifi meeting was boycotted by ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, a move that drew sharp criticism from some party leaders. They questioned his absence, arguing that it undermined party discipline and collective decision-making.

Some ODM lawmakers openly challenged Sifuna to align himself with the party’s official position, warning that failure to toe the party line could deepen internal divisions at a critical moment.

Others, while supporting coalition talks, stressed that any agreement reached must reflect the interests and wishes of ODM supporters across the country.

Beyond coalition negotiations, the Central Management Committee also resolved to activate the party’s grassroots structures nationwide in preparation for the 2027 elections. ODM plans to intensify mobilisation efforts and begin identifying strong candidates for all elective positions, with the aim of securing a majority in Parliament and county assemblies.