Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has revealed that preparations are underway to craft a joint manifesto for the new broad-based coalition framework expected to bring together members of the Kenya Kwanza and ODM camps ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Mudavadi said a committee comprising members drawn from the Kenya Kwanza side under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is being established to develop the framework, which he described as the vehicle through which President William Ruto will seek re-election.
“We are putting pen on paper to have a new coalition framework that will drive our agenda for the next five years after August 2027, and President Ruto will be our candidate for the new framework.” Mudavadi said.
Mudavadi spoke during a consultative engagement with more than 100 UDA Party aspirants from Kakamega and Vihiga counties at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu.
He said the meeting was aimed at strengthening UDA’s grassroots support ahead of the formation of the new coalition, urging party members and aspirants to give the party a national outlook.
Mudavadi said a stronger UDA would give the party greater numbers and bargaining power when negotiating its position within the proposed coalition framework.
“You cannot have a leader of a coalition in a broad-based framework then you weaken his party. You cannot have a leader who does not have an edge in terms of the numbers he commands and the strength of the people’s following.” Mudavadi warned.
“One of the challenges the late President Mwai Kibaki had during the grand coalition government was that he didn’t have the muscle within the coalition. It then became difficult for him even to drive his legislative agenda through parliament. We don’t want this to happen to our candidate President Ruto when he wins.” Mudavadi added.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary also emphasised the importance of political stability and continuity of government policies, urging Western Kenya voters to support the current administration to safeguard development projects and gains.
He said the region should consider what the Ruto administration has delivered during its first term, particularly development projects, when deciding whether to support the President for a second term.
“President Ruto has already begun the agenda targeting beyond vision 2030. If we want continuity of this legacy and agenda where we ensure completion of our projects as a region then we have no choice but to grant him a second term.” Mudavadi told the Western Kenya region.
Mudavadi challenged UDA aspirants to intensify their grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections, warning that the party’s nominations and the wider coalition arrangement would be highly competitive.
He said UDA would provide all aspirants seeking elective positions with an opportunity to participate in free and fair nominations, but urged them to work hard both to secure their own nominations and support President Ruto’s re-election bid.
“Aspirants must activate their own machinery since the UDA party has a very strong opinion poll mechanism which is highly accurate. If you sit back and relax, how will your radar be activated? Make sure the UDA radar captures you.” he told the aspirants.
Mudavadi also criticised what he described as a lack of clear ideas and policies within the opposition, while stating that UDA intends to field candidates at all levels, from the presidency to Members of County Assemblies, in the 2027 General Election.
“It is clear that we must work and pull together to get the numbers we are targeting. We want enough numbers that will give and define the President’s strength in both houses of Parliament, the Senate and National Assembly and further across all County Assemblies. We must remember that we are also battling with the constitutional requirement that the threshold enshrined in Article 138 (4) of the Kenyan Constitution dictates that ‘A candidate shall be declared elected as President if the candidate receives more than half of all the votes cast in the election and the candidate must have attained a 25% win in the majority of the counties across the country which is 24 counties plus one’,” Mudavadi explained.
He said the proposed coalition framework would define the respective areas of operation between UDA and ODM, warning UDA aspirants that ODM had made it clear that it was seeking power.
Mudavadi urged UDA members to strengthen their grassroots support, saying the number of elected leaders secured by each side would be an important measure of its bargaining position within the proposed coalition.
The developments come as political parties and aspirants intensify preparations for the 2027 General Election, with coalition negotiations expected to shape the political landscape ahead of the polls.
