Divisions are emerging within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) over whether to sign a pre-election agreement with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), amid claims that the government has failed to honour a 10-point agenda agreed to last year.
Speaking on Spice FM on Friday, ODM youth league member Jared Oyie alleged UDA had not implemented key commitments under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by President William Ruto and the late ODM leader Raila Odinga on March 7, 2025.
Oyie warned ODM against entering a new pact with UDA while the existing agreement remains unfulfilled, questioning the government’s sincerity.
“The President, the Kenya Kwanza and UDA at some point are not sincere on the implementation of the agreement,” held Oyie.
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He cited the cold reception the Agnes Zani-led committee, which includes Fatuma Ibrahim, Kevin Kiarie, Gabriel Oguda and Javas Bigambo faced in Kisumu county during public consultations, as evidence of growing discontent.
He said that Kisumu residents were seeking to have the proposed compensation of demo victims stretch back to 2007 or even earlier other than the proposed victims during the 2024 Gen Z-led uprising.
The committee submitted its report to President Ruto on January 22, 2026.
Oyie also questioned the need for new committees to audit public debt, implement the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report, curb officials’ excesses or compensate protest victims, arguing that existing institutions such as the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights could handle those tasks.
The Zani committee was mandated to oversee implementation of the Nadco report, which outlined priorities including an audit of the 2022 elections, lowering the cost of living, entrenching the office of the leader of opposition, and establishing affirmative action funds.
Its term ends on March 7.
The ODM youth league member further denied claims of deep divisions within the Party, describing the disagreements as differences of opinion.
“ODM is still one single entity…one party united though we may not be speaking in unison because we are not going to think the same.”
He lauded Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna for maintaining a consistent stance before and after Odinga’s death.
However, lawyer and political strategist Ruth Ambogo warned that ODM risks political irrelevance if it fails to resolve its internal rifts.
“ODM as a Party is a shell of its former self and in no time if they cannot get their act together what is going to happen is it will cease to exist,” averred Ambogo.
She also accused President Ruto of exploiting the party’s weaknesses and claimed the late Odinga’s decision to allow some allies to join the Cabinet sowed confusion over whether ODM was in government or opposition.
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Divisions are emerging within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) over whether to sign a pre-election agreement with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), amid claims that the government has failed to honour a 10-point agenda agreed to last year.
Speaking on Spice FM on Friday, ODM youth league member Jared Oyie alleged UDA had not implemented key commitments under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by President William Ruto and the late ODM leader Raila Odinga on March 7, 2025.
Oyie warned ODM against entering a new pact with UDA while the existing agreement remains unfulfilled, questioning the government’s sincerity.
“The President, the Kenya Kwanza and UDA at some point are not sincere on the implementation of the agreement,” held Oyie.
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channel
on WhatsApp
He cited the cold reception the Agnes Zani-led committee, which includes Fatuma Ibrahim, Kevin Kiarie, Gabriel Oguda and Javas Bigambo faced in Kisumu county during public consultations, as evidence of growing discontent.
He said that Kisumu residents were seeking to have the proposed compensation of demo victims stretch back to 2007 or even earlier other than the proposed victims during the 2024 Gen Z-led uprising.
The committee submitted its report to President Ruto on January 22, 2026.
Oyie also questioned the need for new committees to audit public debt, implement the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report, curb officials’ excesses or compensate protest victims, arguing that existing institutions such as the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights could handle those tasks.
The Zani committee was mandated to oversee implementation of the Nadco report, which outlined priorities including an audit of the 2022 elections, lowering the cost of living, entrenching the office of the leader of opposition, and establishing affirmative action funds.
Its term ends on March 7.
The ODM youth league member further denied claims of deep divisions within the Party, describing the disagreements as differences of opinion.
“ODM is still one single entity…one party united though we may not be speaking in unison because we are not going to think the same.”
He lauded Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna for maintaining a consistent stance before and after Odinga’s death.
However, lawyer and political strategist Ruth Ambogo warned that ODM risks political irrelevance if it fails to resolve its internal rifts.
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“ODM as a Party is a shell of its former self and in no time if they cannot get their act together what is going to happen is it will cease to exist,” averred Ambogo.
She also accused President Ruto of exploiting the party’s weaknesses and claimed the late Odinga’s decision to allow some allies to join the Cabinet sowed confusion over whether ODM was in government or opposition.
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By Fred Kagonye