Busia Governor Paul Otuoma before the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee. March 23, 2025. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]
Just two months after elected leaders allied to the Broad-based Government held a Parliamentary Group retreat to try to iron out issues bedevilling their coalition unity, the differences are far from being resolved even as the General election approaches.
Busia Governor Paul Otuoma, on Sunday during an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) delegates meeting in Busia, laid bare the lack of communication and coordination from the leadership of ODM, concerning the party's standpoint in the coalition talks.
"On broad-based, as I have told you here, we need to tell members what is going on. The last time I heard, you had set up a technical committee of experts but because a majority of us are politicians, you need to tell us when it will be formed and how we will interact with our partners," he said.
Otuoma complained that they were being kept in the dark since no agreement had yet been reached with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), resulting in many differences between themselves in ODM and with their ruling party partners.
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"So far, we have not known what our position as ODM is in the coalition. Some people keep telling us that this is an ODM zone but we have not been told by the party. The party should release a press statement telling us to hold our horses and that things are still moving slowly," he said.
He further said that during Presidential functions, a lot of confusion happens when the President does his tours and UDA merchandise dominates the rallies, forcing them to play catch-up and get their own for the various stopovers.
These revelations have only lifted the lid on what has been a bruising relationship between the two parties since their retreat in Naivasha on August 10th.
During the retreat, a 10- member committee consisting of 5 members each from both parties was set up to develop a common manifesto of policies.
The President, however, added that a second committee of the same number would be formed by him and ODM party leader Oburu Odinga to prepare the coalition framework agreement and propose the leadership arrangement necessary to guide their partnership.
Despite him saying that work on the same would begin immediately, the tone of ODM leaders suggests that either work is yet to begin or the two parties are still far from agreeing.
Ruto claimed during the retreat that the opposition was in shambles, but the reality may hit closer to home if things are anything to go by right now.
"The other side is in chaos; I don't have to explain. The alternative is difficult to fathom." Ruto said on 14th September.
Despite him giving assurances that all would be okay, the situation is no different from what it was before the retreat.
"This is not the first time we are having a coalition. Azimio and Kenya Kwanza were coalitions, so what is the problem? People should not worry. We are experts (Fundi) of these things and we have enough experts to create this team to become the next Government," he said.
The President has witnessed the differences first-hand during his recent tours of Kajiado, Nyanza and Coastal counties.
In Kajiado, ODM Governor Joseph Ole Lenku was heckled at various stopovers by supporters of State House Comptroller Katoo Ole Metito, who is seeking to succeed him.
The Nyanza tour that followed was no different, as ODM leaders complained of UDA attempting to take over the party's stronghold.
During one stop, ODM Deputy party leader Simba Arati aired out his party's frustrations in front of the President on a number of occasions.
"Mr President, the friendly fire is hurting. We here in Nyanza hatutaki mchanganyiko. Here is ODM. Let us remain in the party," he said during one stopover on 14th September.
At the Coast, Mombasa Governor, who doubles up as ODM deputy party leader, was heckled by supporters of UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar.
In Kwale, Governor Fatuma Achani and ODM Gubernatorial aspirant Hamadi Boga skipped stopovers where their opposing supporters had been mobilised to attend.
ODM National Chairperson has also been communicating in the Raila anniversary rallies that the running mate seat is a minimum for them, raising questions of whether they have failed to get a consensus behind closed doors.
With just under 10 months to go before the General election, President William Ruto has his work cut out for him if he is to bring together all the dissenting voices in his camp.