Barasa: ODM and UDA pact to redefine political landscape ahead of 2027 polls

Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa says that the ODM-UDA coordination during the by-elections demonstrated the strength of a united political front. [File, Standard]

Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has expressed confidence that cooperation ODM and UDA could reshape Kenya’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Speaking in Malava during the funeral of Mama Rael Mukangai, mother to the county’s Chief Officer for Financial Management Diminah Chikamai, Barasa said recent joint efforts between the two parties point to a “new era of strategic alignment.”

He cited the Malava by-election, saying that the coordination between ODM and UDA demonstrated the potential strength of a united political front.

“The cooperation we are seeing is not by chance. It signals a deliberate move towards building a formidable partnership that can compete effectively at the national level,” he said.

The governor argued that sustained collaboration between the two parties would not only consolidate their respective support bases but also enhance their electoral prospects in 2027.

At the same time, the governor said that western Kenya remains firmly behind President William Ruto and will continue to back his leadership to 2032.

He announced that the region is already positioning itself to produce Kenya’s sixth president, leveraging its estimated eight million voters to influence national politics.

“Western Kenya has the numbers and the potential. If we remain united and strategic, we can determine the country’s leadership in the coming years,” he said.

Barasa’s remarks come amid shifting political alliances and renewed efforts by parties to consolidate support across regions as realignments for the 2027 polls begin to take shape.