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The Orange Democratic Movement Party has been in tarters ever since the demise of its party leader Hon Raila Odinga last year.
While some leaders reaffirm that the party is in broad-based government with President Dr William Samoei Arap Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance Government, some have been chased away for showing their discomfort.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has pushed back against growing demands within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) regarding executive leadership, declaring that the office of the Deputy President is not vacant.
The political statement highlights rising internal friction within the broad-based government framework as strategic positioning for the 2027 General Election accelerates.
Mudavadi’s intervention follows persistent lobbying from key ODM figures urging President William Ruto to reconsider his election line-up.
As discussions continue over power-sharing agreements between the administration and the opposition party, ODM strategists have reportedly targeted the running mate position as an essential condition for endorsing Ruto’s re-election bid.
The opposition brigade has actively pushed for Deputy President Kithure Kindiki to be replaced by an ODM nominee, arguing that a co-equal partnership requires representation at the highest level of the executive branch.
Firmly rejecting these demands, Mudavadi defended Kindiki’s standing, emphasizing that the sitting Deputy President remains in office, performing his duties, and supported by constitutional governance timelines.
While acknowledging that selection of a presidential running mate remains the sole constitutional prerogative of the Head of State, Mudavadi cautioned against premature succession maneuvers that risk destabilizing government operations and undermining public confidence.
He noted that political focus should remain anchored on institutional performance, economic recovery, and national delivery rather than speculative horse-trading over public offices.
The confrontation underscores the delicate political balancing act facing President Ruto as he navigates coalition dynamics without alienating regional power blocks.
While ODM seeks maximum leverage to justify its partnership with the executive, allies of Kindiki and senior coalition leaders maintain that altering the executive ticket could disrupt carefully calibrated regional representation.
As both factions consolidate their positions, the struggle over executive power-sharing signals complex negotiations ahead for the ruling arrangement.
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