Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) deputy party leader and Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir has called for the party to consider the formalisation of a pre-election coalition with President Ruto as preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking in Changamwe, Mombasa, on Sunday, December 28, the Mombasa governor noted that despite ODM being in a broad-based arrangement with President Ruto, there was no formal coalition arrangement, which he described as 'unsatisfying'.
He stated that there was an urgent need for ODM to start negotiations now since the party is the strongest party in the country, warning that a late rush could lock the party out of government in 2027.
“We were left in the broad-based government by Raila. There is a need for us who are here now to prepare for 2027. We need to consider formalisation of a pre-election coalition with the United Democratic Alliance in good faith ahead of the 2027 elections,” Nassir stated.
“ODM in the last three elections has been in coalition agreements. I do not see any reason why we should not start preparations now,” he added.
The governor also asked ODM party leader Oburu Odinga to convene the party’s central committee so that they can forge a way forward for 2027, noting that the party’s constitution allowed the party leader to start prior engagements. He warned that delays might lead to a “come we stay” kind of marriage.
He noted that beyond the implementation of the NADCO report and the 10-point agenda, the party has no option but to make a choice as soon as possible. The governor also rubbished any possibilities of a coalition with the united opposition, saying that their ideas and kind of politics do not align.
“We would rather work with partners who have demonstrated respect and tolerance than align with those who have consistently shown contempt and discrimination, shareholding, “ he noted.
His remarks come days after President Ruto called on ODM to prepare itself so that it could have an arrangement to form a government in 2027. Ruto revealed that his party, UDA, was ready to get into a formal coalition with ODM so as to form a government that he said would steer Kenya towards the first-world dream.
The calls came amid growing tensions within the party between two factions, one supporting President Ruto’s re-election bid and another one maintaining that the agreement with Ruto was only up to 2027.
The party, however, had already revealed that should they go into any form of coalition, they would not accept any position lower than that of the deputy president, as stated by Oburu Oginga earlier in November 2025.
ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna, among others within the party, has made it clear that they would leave the party should ODM decide to support Ruto in 2027. Others, including Oburu Odinga, demanded that the executive implement the NADCO report and the 10-point agenda signed by Ruto and the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga before discussing future alliances.
