UDAs secretary general Hassan Omar,ODM chairperson Gladys Wanga(center) and ODM party leader Dr. Oburu Odinga(right)…..Photo/IP
NAIROBI, Kenya (IP)
“ODM is too big to be swallowed,” declared party leader Oburu Odinga, setting the tone for a renewed standoff between the Orange Democratic Movement and the ruling United Democratic Alliance amid growing tensions threatening their uneasy political coexistence.
Speaking in Nairobi, Oburu dismissed claims that ODM had been co-opted into government, warning critics against what he termed “misleading narratives” about the party’s relationship with UDA.
He maintained that ODM remains independent and warned that continued provocations from UDA officials — particularly Secretary-General Hassan Omar Hassan — risk derailing already fragile engagement between the two sides.
The warning comes against the backdrop of an escalating dispute over electoral zoning ahead of the 2027 general election.
ODM leaders have insisted on safeguarding their traditional strongholds, while UDA has pushed for open competition nationwide, exposing deep cracks in what has widely been described as a “marriage of convenience.”
ODM chairperson Gladys Wanga has reinforced the party’s hardline stance, cautioning against any arrangement that would dilute ODM’s grassroots dominance in key regions.
Her remarks signal increasing resistance within the party to any formalized pact that compromises its political base.
At the same time, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has doubled down on his long-held skepticism of the UDA rapprochement, arguing that ODM risks losing its identity through what he views as a transactional alignment.
He has urged the party to maintain a firm opposition posture rather than pursue short-term political accommodation.
Political analysts say the unfolding tensions could ultimately work in Sifuna’s favor.
As divisions sharpen and doubts grow within ODM, his earlier opposition to the UDA engagement is gaining renewed relevance, potentially elevating his influence within the party ahead of 2027.
For now, ODM’s message is clear: any cooperation will come on its own terms.
With public warnings, internal dissent and competing ambitions colliding, the future of the ODM–UDA relationship remains uncertain — and increasingly strained.
