Why UDA-ODM oversight team risks repeating BBI's fatal flaws

President William Ruto ,opposition Leader Raila Odinga flanked by several leaders from political parties after the signing of IEBC bill that was developed from NADCO report into law. [FILE/Standard]

On August 6, 2025, President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga signed a statement establishing a five-member committee to oversee implementation of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report and a 10-point agenda.

The aim was to address Kenya’s governance, devolution, youth empowerment challenges, leadership and integrity, the right to protest, the national debt, the fight against corruption, stopping wastage of public resources, promoting sovereignty of the people, rule of law and constitutionalism. This was an afterthought to the MoU signed between the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) on March 7, 2025, and coined as a response to public clamour, and presents an initiative riddled with flaws, tainted by partisan interests, and poised to repeat the constitutional missteps that derailed the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).