President William Ruto and ODM leader Oburu Oginga have taken a major step towards formalizing their political partnership ahead of the August 2027 General Election, with the ruling Kenya Kwanza alliance and ODM agreeing to develop a joint manifesto and negotiate a coalition framework.

The decision, announced on Monday following a joint broad-based leadership retreat in Naivasha, signals the clearest move yet by the two political formations to transform their cooperation in government into an organized electoral alliance for next year’s polls.

Ruto, who made the announcement alongside Oginga, said two committees would be established immediately. One will be tasked with developing a common manifesto and another will negotiate the framework under which the parties will work together.

“This formalizes the political partnership we have built and gives it a clear mandate to consolidate the progress we have made, carry our reforms to completion and present to the people of Kenya a common programme for the next phase of our national transformation,” Ruto said.

The Naivasha meeting brought together leaders allied to the broad-based arrangement, including members of the National Assembly and Senate, governors and deputy governors. The meeting was convened as part of preparations for the 2027 election.

For the Joint Manifesto Committee, ODM nominated Isaac Wanuge, Mariam Abdullahi Mbaruk, Leonida Kerubo Omosa, Eng. Carey Orege and Prof. Benard Muok.

Kenya Kwanza nominated Emmanuel Nzai, Dr Daniel Mwai, Bramwel Simiyu, Mohammed Hassan and Dr Cecilia Ng’etich.

According to Ruto, the committee will identify areas of common ground between the two political formations, reconcile issues that require further agreement and develop policies addressing the country’s economic, social and governance priorities.

He said the manifesto should go beyond the immediate political interests of UDA and ODM and incorporate views gathered from Kenyans.

“Their task is not simply to produce a political document. The manifesto will draw from our shared values and priorities, while being informed by the aspirations, ideas and priorities expressed by Kenyans through the National Conversation on Kenya Beyond Vision 2030 and reflected in the National Development Charter that will emerge from it,” Ruto said.

The second committee will focus on the structure of the proposed coalition. UDA and ODM leaders will each nominate five representatives to negotiate the coalition framework, including its guiding principles, governance structures and leadership arrangements.

“These are not merely internal processes between political parties. They are part of the work of building the partnership, developing the programme and preparing the leadership proposition upon which we shall seek your mandate in August 2027,” Ruto said.

The latest development builds on months of increasingly structured engagement between UDA and ODM.

In January, ODM formally opened pre-election coalition talks with UDA, while the two sides later agreed to establish a Broad-Based Management Committee to coordinate their legislative and executive agenda.

Ruto directed the newly constituted teams to begin their work immediately, saying the alliance must present voters with both a development record and a credible programme for another term.

“Three years ago, we asked you to trust our plan. Today, we return not merely with promises, but with proof. We asked you to believe that Kenya could recover. Today, recovery is no longer the question,” he said.

The President also praised MPs and senators supporting the broad-based arrangement for backing legislation his administration considers central to its reform agenda.

“You have remained steadfast in ensuring that reform did not remain an idea but the law of our Republic. History will remember this Parliament as one that chose courage over convenience,” he said.

Ruto said the government would seek a renewed mandate based on its performance and policy agenda and pledged that the 2027 General Election would be peaceful, with all political formations given room to present their programmes to voters.

Oginga, however, sought to reassure ODM supporters that entering a coalition with Ruto’s political camp would not mean surrendering the party’s identity or principles.

He said the partnership would be guided by a negotiated framework reflecting the policies and priorities of both sides rather than one party being absorbed by the other.

“There will be no shareholding,” Oginga said, insisting that the arrangement should be based on democratic principles, inclusion and equitable treatment of all parts of the country.

His remarks on rejecting a “shareholding” approach were also made during the Naivasha meeting.

Oginga expressed confidence that the emerging coalition would win the 2027 General Election by a wide margin.

The establishment of the two committees now shifts attention to the substance of the negotiations, particularly the coalition’s leadership structure, policy priorities and how the two parties will reconcile their political positions as they prepare to jointly seek the support of Kenyan voters.

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