NAIVASHA, Kenya- President William Ruto and senior leaders from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) are set to kick off a two-day political retreat in Naivasha on Monday, as the broad-based administration starts addressing the political arrangements that will shape its participation in the 2027 General Election.
The retreat brings together governors, deputy governors, Members of Parliament and other senior political figures from the two parties.
The meeting is scheduled to run from Monday at Lake Naivasha Resort.
The meeting is taking place exactly one year before the August 2027 election and represents one of the clearest efforts yet by the two political formations to move their cooperation from a governing arrangement towards an electoral framework.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah said the leaders would discuss the political direction of the partnership over the next year and work towards forming a team to handle expected coalition negotiations.
From government partnership to election planning
The UDA-ODM arrangement began as a political cooperation between President Ruto and the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and subsequently resulted in ODM figures joining the government.
The political landscape has since changed significantly, particularly following Raila’s death and the emergence of Oburu Oginga as ODM’s acting party leader.
ODM has since split, and a powerful group dubbed Linda Mwananchi emerged.
The Naivasha retreat comes as the two sides face the question of whether their government cooperation can be translated into a formal electoral arrangement for 2027.
The discussions are expected to review the partnership, identify areas of disagreement and establish a framework for the relationship as the election approaches.
This marks a different phase from the initial broad-based arrangement.
The immediate issue is no longer simply how the two parties share responsibility in government, but how they will compete for elective positions while remaining political partners.
The Deputy President question
One of the most contentious issues is the position currently held by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
ODM leaders have publicly demanded that the Deputy President position in a possible 2027 arrangement should go to the party.
Senate Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo said ODM expected the position to be part of the negotiations, arguing that the President and Deputy President should not come from the same party.
ODM is also seeking a 50:50 sharing arrangement in government if it supports Ruto’s re-election.
The demand puts the question of Ruto’s running mate at the centre of the broad-based negotiations.
Several ODM leaders have promoted Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya as a possible running mate, while political figures allied to Kindiki have opposed attempts to dislodge him.
The Star reported that the running-mate question has become linked to wider negotiations over regional representation and political influence within the alliance.
The issue is therefore not simply about an individual position. It is part of the broader question of how power would be distributed if the UDA-ODM partnership becomes an electoral coalition.
Zoning and parliamentary contests
Another major issue is how UDA and ODM will handle elective seats in areas where both parties have political interests.
ODM has been pushing for political zoning, with the argument that parties within the broad-based arrangement should respect each other’s traditional strongholds.
UDA’s position is that parties should remain free to field candidates across the country.
The disagreement is significant because the presidency is only one component of the 2027 contest.
Members of Parliament, governors and senators will also be seeking nominations, and the two parties will have to determine whether cooperation at the presidential level can coexist with competition in individual constituencies.
Ichung’wah said the retreat would also engage elected leaders about those interested in participating in the next election and who would represent their respective areas.
Coalition talks
The retreat is also expected to initiate the formal architecture for negotiations between UDA and ODM.
According to Ichung’wah, the two party leaders have directed their representatives to form a team that will handle the negotiations.
That process could eventually address the presidency, Deputy President position, parliamentary seats, county positions and other elements of a potential coalition agreement.
The fact that negotiations are being discussed before the formal election period also reflects the timing of Kenyan coalition politics, where parties often seek to settle major questions of alliance and candidate distribution before nominations.
NADCO remains part of the political equation
The National Dialogue Committee, or NADCO, is another issue expected to feature in the discussions.
NADCO was part of the political understanding that helped create the framework for cooperation between Ruto and Raila.
Among its proposals were the establishment of an Office of the Prime Minister and an Office of the Official Leader of the Opposition.
The government’s development agenda is also expected to feature in the retreat.
President Ruto’s Beyond Vision 2030 agenda is among the matters expected to be discussed.
The agenda provides the government with a policy framework around which its political messaging can be organised as the election approaches.
The political significance is that the broad-based camp now has to communicate not only its record in government but also a common programme for the next phase.
Whether the parties can agree on that programme while negotiating positions and electoral zones will be one of the issues to emerge from the retreat.
The political landscape entering the final year
The Naivasha meeting comes as Kenya’s political formations increasingly shift from broad positioning to preparation for the 2027 contest.
For the Ruto administration, the central task is to maintain the existing UDA political network while accommodating ODM’s interests within the broad-based arrangement.
For ODM, the negotiations provide an opportunity to convert its participation in government into a defined political stake in the next administration.
For both sides, however, the same challenge remains: they must negotiate their electoral interests while continuing to operate as partners in government.
That creates potential areas of friction over nominations, regional political bases and senior positions.
The running-mate question is already an example, while the zoning disagreement is another.
