Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has fired the starting gun on high-stakes 2027 coalition drama, confirming that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has officially directed party leader Oburu Oginga to open formal talks with President William Ruto and his United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Speaking boldly during a roadside rally in Dandora, Nairobi, on Sunday, February 1, 2026, Wanga made it crystal clear: ODM’s top organs have handed Oburu the green light—and the mandate—to hammer out a deal starting with Ruto’s camp.
“We as the ODM Party have decided to give our party leader, Oburu Oginga, the mandate and space to speak with other parties that have the same manifesto as ours, starting with the United Democratic Alliance. We have told him to speak with Ruto to move the country forward,” Wanga stated firmly.
Channeling the spirit of the late Raila Odinga, she positioned the move as a push for true national unity rather than exclusion: “We want one country that unites everyone… We are heading in the direction that our former party leader Raila Odinga was taking us.”
But here’s where it gets spicy—Wanga doubled down on ODM’s hardline stance, insisting any coalition must deliver a clean 50/50 power-sharing split.
“Oburu will go into talks with President Ruto and have the ‘cow’ split in the middle. ODM should take half and UDA take the other half,” she declared, using the classic Kenyan metaphor for fair division of the national cake.
The announcement follows reciprocal green lights: UDA’s National Executive Committee already authorized Ruto to lead structured negotiations with ODM, setting the stage for intense bargaining over the deputy presidency, cabinet zoning, parliamentary seats, and full implementation of the earlier 10-point agenda.
While Wanga framed the dialogue as essential for stability and progress, whispers of internal ODM friction linger, with some factions questioning the rapid pivot toward Ruto amid the party’s post-Raila transition.
As Kenya barrels toward 2027, this Oburu-Ruto axis could forge a dominant super-coalition—or ignite fresh rifts if demands for equal stakes hit a wall.
One thing is certain: with Wanga’s no-nonsense endorsement ringing out, the battle for the biggest slice of power has officially begun. Stay tuned—the negotiations are just heating up.
