There can be no suspension of something that never began. That was ODM’s blunt message Friday as party leader Oburu Odinga swatted down swirling reports that coalition talks with President Ruto’s UDA had been abruptly halted.
THE POLITICIAN
POLITICS | POLICY | GOVERNANCE
Speaking in Kisumu on April 17, 2026, a visibly agitated Oburu dismissed the rumours as baseless and misleading — not because talks are ongoing, but because they have never even taken off.
“I am in a good relationship with the president, who is the leader of UDA. We cannot stop what has started,” Oburu clarified. “But our negotiations with UDA have not started. We have not even formed the negotiating teams.”
The clarification came after widespread speculation that ODM’s Central Committee had slammed the brakes on a potential pact over internal disagreements. Oburu’s message was crisp: You can’t pause what has not started.
Beyond the coalition chatter, the ODM firebrand turned his guns on UDA’s political antics. He accused some UDA officials of repeatedly interfering in ODM’s traditional strongholds — a red line he says could poison any future partnership ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
“We do not want to compete with people we are going into partnership with. But President Ruto should discipline some of the officials of his party,” Oburu demanded.
And on the burning question of who will fly ODM’s flag in 2027, Oburu delivered an emphatic constitutional hammer. He dismissed any talk of internal presidential jostling, declaring that ODM’s governing documents already settle the matter.
“I want to make it absolutely clear: Our constitution already has a presidential candidate, and that candidate is the party leader. I am the presidential candidate for ODM if ODM decides to go alone,” he said.
“Anybody planning to run for the presidency in ODM — that is misplaced. If they want to run, they should look for another party.”