President William Ruto has announced that the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will contest the 2027 General Election as coalition partners, with ODM backing his bid for a second and final term.
Speaking during the Broad-Based Government Parliamentary Group retreat in Naivasha on Monday, President Ruto said the two parties had formally resolved to transform their cooperation in government into a political alliance ahead of next year’s elections.
“After consultations within our respective parties, the United Democratic Alliance and the Orange Democratic Movement have today formally resolved to constitute a coalition and to contest the 2027 General Election together,” President Ruto said.
He said ODM had also resolved not to field a presidential candidate in 2027 and would instead support his re-election bid.
The announcement gives formal political shape to the working relationship between the two parties, which began as cooperation in government and is now being converted into a common platform for the next election.
President Ruto said the coalition would seek to consolidate what he described as the achievements of his administration, complete ongoing reforms and present Kenyans with a joint programme for the next phase of the country’s development.
Joint manifesto
The President announced that UDA and ODM would establish a 10-member joint team to prepare a common manifesto for the 2027 election.
Each party will nominate five members to the team.
ODM has nominated Isaac Wanuge, Maryam Abdullahi Mbaruk, Leonida Kerubo Omosa, Eng. Carrey Orege and Prof Bernard Muok, while UDA has nominated Emmanuel Nzai, Dr Daniel Mwai, Bramwel Simiyu, Mohammed Hassan and Dr Cecilia Ngetich.
The respective party executive directors will serve as ex-officio members.
According to President Ruto, the team will identify common priorities, harmonise areas where the parties require consensus and develop policies addressing the economic, social and governance aspirations of Kenyans.
The manifesto will also draw from the proposed National Conversation on Kenya Beyond Vision 2030 and the National Development Charter expected to emerge from the process.
A second 10-member team, with five members nominated by each party leader, will work on the coalition framework agreement, including its governance structures and leadership arrangements.
President Ruto said the processes would begin immediately as the coalition prepares the programme and leadership proposition it will take to voters in August 2027.
Ruto defends record
The President used the retreat to defend his administration’s economic and development record, saying the government had inherited an economy facing severe pressure, high inflation, debt constraints and weakened investor confidence.
He said the economy was now growing at approximately five per cent, inflation had fallen, the shilling had stabilised and foreign exchange reserves had risen above $15 billion.
He also said Kenya had become Africa’s sixth-largest economy and attracted record foreign investment.
On agriculture, Dr Ruto said the price of fertiliser had fallen from Sh7,000 to Sh2,500 a bag, while maize production had increased from 44 million bags to nearly 75 million bags.
He also cited a more than 70 per cent increase in sugar production and expansion of irrigation as some of the administration’s achievements.
The President further highlighted the Hustler Fund, saying more than 28 million Kenyans had accessed credit amounting to more than Sh90 billion, while Sh7 billion had been mobilised in savings.
He said more than 450 modern markets were under construction and that the NYOTA programme had provided 123,000 young entrepreneurs with business capital and mentorship.
On healthcare, President Ruto said more than 32 million Kenyans were registered under the Social Health Authority, with more than 16,000 health facilities contracted and over 100,000 Community Health Promoters serving households across the country.
He also said more than 270,000 affordable houses were under construction, creating more than 650,000 jobs.
The President cited the recruitment of more than 100,000 teachers, construction of more than 23,000 classrooms and increased enrolment in TVET institutions as other achievements.
He said more than 23,000 government services were now available through eCitizen, while more than 30,000 kilometres of fibre had been laid.
Infrastructure push
President Ruto said more than 6,000 kilometres of roads were under construction, including the Rironi-Mau Summit and Isiolo-Wajir-Mandera highways.
He also cited progress on the Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway, modernisation of JKIA and ports, electricity connections to an additional 1.3 million households and investment in dams, water storage and irrigation.
He said the government was also developing Talanta Sports City, upgrading 39 stadiums ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, transforming Bomas of Kenya and developing Nairobi Railway City.
Call for national conversation
The President said the 2027 election should not be fought solely on the record of the current administration but also on competing ideas about Kenya’s future.
He said the country needed to think beyond individual budgets, elections and administrations and work towards a Kenya with universal healthcare, quality education, food security, clean water, decent housing and greater economic opportunity for young people.
He announced that the Broad-Based Coalition would participate fully in the National Conversation on Kenya Beyond Vision 2030, which he said would be launched on Wednesday, August 12.
President Ruto said the process should involve farmers, workers, young people, businesses, professionals, universities, faith communities, civil society, political parties and other citizens.
The objective, he said, was to develop a people-owned and constitutionally anchored National Development Charter setting out Kenya’s long-term national aspirations.
Ruto sets sights on 2027
The President said the UDA-ODM partnership was based on the argument that cooperation had delivered better outcomes than political confrontation.
He said the relationship, which began as cooperation in government, would now become a common political platform through which the two parties would seek the mandate of Kenyans in August 2027.
“One year from today, you will once again make your choice,” President Ruto told Kenyans, saying the coalition would return to voters with what he described as a record of performance rather than promises.
He acknowledged that challenges remained but said his administration had honoured the trust placed in it.
“The question now is how far Kenya can go, and who has the vision, the experience, and the resolve to take our nation there,” he said.
Ultimately, he added, the decision would rest with Kenyan voters.
About The Author
