UDA authorises Ruto to open coalition talks with ODM ahead of 2027 election

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) National Executive Committee (NEC) has authorised party leader, President William Ruto, to initiate formal talks with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to firm up a coalition pact ahead of the 2027 General Election.

In a communiqué issued after a NEC meeting held in Nairobi on Wednesday, the party said the engagement would seek to strengthen the ongoing political cooperation between the two parties and shape a structured pre-election agreement.

“The NEC mandated the UDA Party Leader to establish mechanisms for structured engagement with the ODM party to achieve the desired outcome,” read the statement.

“The NEC noted the decision of the ODM Party Central Management Committee to initiate structured negotiations with the UDA Party, in the Kenya Kwanza Coalition, to strengthen the ongoing political partnership and negotiate a coalition agreement ahead of the 2027 general elections.”

The ruling party credited the existing partnership with ODM for key political milestones, including the adoption of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report, the incorporation of ODM members into government roles, and joint electoral successes in recent by-elections.

“The NEC discussed the ongoing political partnership between the UDA party and the ODM party, which partnership has resulted in; the adoption of the NADCO Report of 2024, the establishment of the broad-based administration, the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the 10-point agenda and the consensus for mutual and reciprocal support which consensus resulted in the two parties winning all the Senate and National Assembly seat in the by-elections held on 27th November 2025," UDA stated.

During the meeting chaired by President Ruto, the NEC also reviewed the recently concluded grassroots elections held across 20 counties on January 10, 2026.

A report submitted by the National Elections Board (NEB) and the Electoral and Nomination Dispute Resolution Committee (ENDRC) revealed that the grassroots elections attracted 492,439 candidates who contested for 231,770 seats in 17,953 polling centres, with participation from 2,400,000 party members from across the 20 counties.

The NEC further noted that 56 per cent of those elected were male, 44 per cent female, while 33 per cent were youth.

UDA has now directed the NEB to conduct repeat elections within 30 days in polling centres where elections did not take place or experienced inadequate voter participation.

The board will also oversee ward-level elections nationwide within 30 days after repeat polls.

Additionally, the NEC approved the creation of a seven-member Ward Executive Committee elected by a Ward Congress comprising polling station officials and instructed the ENDRC to expedite dispute resolution processes as per party procedures.

The resolutions signal an intensified reorganisation within UDA as it presses ahead with internal structuring and broader political realignments ahead of 2027.