President William Ruto has confirmed a major political realignment ahead of Kenya’s 2027 General Election, announcing that Kenya Kwanza and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will formally join forces to contest the polls.
The announcement on Monday, August 10, places the two political formations on a path towards a formal electoral coalition after months of cooperation under the Broad-Based Government arrangement.
Speaking during a media briefing by the Broad-Based Government Principal Group, Ruto said both sides had completed consultations within their respective parties and agreed to develop a joint manifesto for the 2027 election.
“The Kenya Kwanza and Orange Democratic Movement have today formally resolved to develop a joint manifesto for the next election and constitute a coalition to contest the 2027 General Election,” Ruto said.
Ruto and Oburu move to formalise 2027 deal
The President said the coalition would not be built around a political document alone.
Instead, the joint manifesto will seek to combine the policies and priorities shared by Kenya Kwanza and ODM while incorporating views emerging from Kenyans.
Ruto said the document would also draw from the national conversation on Kenya Beyond Vision 2030 and the National Development Charter expected to emerge from the process.
The joint technical team will identify areas of agreement, harmonise proposals requiring consensus and formulate policies targeting Kenya’s economic, social and governance challenges.
The move gives ODM and Kenya Kwanza a formal political framework as the country heads towards the 2027 election.
Who will write the Kenya Kwanza-ODM manifesto?
Both political formations have already named representatives who will work on the joint manifesto.
ODM has nominated Isaac Waluke, Mariam Abdulahi Mbaruk, Leonida Kerubo Omosa, Kari Orege and Benard Muok, who will serve as an ex officio member.
Kenya Kwanza has nominated Emmanuel Nzai, Dr Daniel Mwai, Bramwel Simiyu and Dr Cecilia Ng’etich.
UDA Executive Director Nicodemus Bore will serve as an ex officio member on the Kenya Kwanza side.
The team will immediately begin the process of developing the coalition’s shared policy agenda.
Ruto and Oburu to decide coalition leadership structure
The manifesto team is only one part of the agreement.
Ruto said he and ODM leader Dr Oburu Oginga will each nominate five members to another team tasked with developing the coalition’s framework.
That team will determine the proposed governance structures and leadership arrangements of the coalition.
The development is likely to attract intense political attention as parties and politicians begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.
While the agreement establishes cooperation between Kenya Kwanza and ODM, questions surrounding the coalition’s eventual leadership structure and presidential ticket remain significant.
Oburu: ODM will not be swallowed
Oburu Oginga used the announcement to push back against claims that ODM could lose its identity or influence after joining forces with Kenya Kwanza.
He insisted that ODM entered the arrangement from a position of strength and remains a major political force with grassroots structures across the country.
Oburu also argued that President Ruto recognised the value ODM brings to the coalition.
“President Ruto has also welcomed ODM with two hands because he knows that ODM not only brings numbers, but it brings quality,” Oburu said.
He further dismissed suggestions that ODM would eventually be absorbed by Kenya Kwanza.
“Those who thought that ODM was going to be swallowed, they should re-think,” he added.
ODM and Ruto government find common ground
Oburu pointed to housing and universal healthcare as examples of policies where ODM and Kenya Kwanza have common ground.
The cooperation between the two sides began under the Broad-Based Government arrangement and has now evolved into an electoral partnership ahead of the 2027 polls.
The latest agreement effectively moves the relationship into a new phase, with both sides preparing a joint political programme and institutional framework.
What the Ruto-ODM deal means for 2027
The announcement could significantly alter Kenya’s political calculations ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The coalition brings together two political formations with extensive grassroots networks and could trigger fresh alliances and realignments among opposition and government-aligned parties.
However, several questions remain unanswered, including how the coalition will share leadership, how candidates will be selected and who will ultimately occupy key positions within the alliance.
For now, Ruto and Oburu have directed their teams to begin the formal process of building the coalition.
With the 2027 election approaching, the Kenya Kwanza-ODM agreement could become one of the defining political developments of the next electoral cycle.