The facade of unity within the Broad-Based government cracked significantly during a strategic consultative meeting at the KICC.
A segment of the ODM parliamentary group staged a stormy walkout, accusing the party’s elder statesman, Dr. Oburu Oginga, of presenting a pre-determined power-sharing deal that had not been subjected to internal democratic scrutiny.
The disgruntled lawmakers argued that the rushed nature of the proceedings was intended to force a merger with UDA before the rank-and-file could negotiate better terms for their respective constituencies.
In a move that further fueled the rebellion, Dr. Oburu Oginga revealed that the framework for the UDA-ODM cooperation actually began long before the famous March 7, 2024, “10-point agenda” between President Ruto and Raila Odinga.
He clarified that silent negotiations had been underway as a mechanical necessity to stabilize the country following the 2024 protests, well before the formal public pact was signed.
This admission has sparked outrage among younger legislators who feel they were kept in the dark while a shadow government was being constructed behind closed doors.
The walkout highlights a deepening generational and ideological rift between the ODM old guard and a younger, more radical faction that views the current partnership as exclusionary.
The rebelling MPs maintained that any deal involving the future of the party must be a relationship of equals, rather than a top-down directive issued from private boardrooms.
They contend that the secrecy surrounding the KICC deal undermines the party’s accountability structures, effectively treating the 16-million-vote block as a tradable commodity rather than a democratic mandate for reform.
This internal friction arrives at a critical juncture as the country moves toward a formal coalition building for the 2027 General Election.
The KICC revolt suggests that the Broad-Based vision may be suffering from a fatal lack of grassroots buy-in, as lawmakers fear being punished by an electorate that is increasingly skeptical of handshake politics.
If the Odingas cannot reconcile with the Sifuna-Babu faction and the wider parliamentary group, the proposed UDA-ODM merger risks becoming a leader-only pact that lacks the necessary ground support to withstand the upcoming Wantam (One-Term) electoral wave.