Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho has been tasked with spearheading high-stakes negotiations with President Ruto to define ODM’s stake in the 2027 power matrix.

In a strategic pivot that signals the deep entrenchment of the "Broad-Based Government," Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho has been appointed to lead ODM’s negotiating team. His mission: to secure a concrete power-sharing deal with President William Ruto ahead of the next General Election.

The announcement, made by ODM luminary and Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, confirms that the opposition party is no longer content with being a passive partner in the current administration. They want a signed, sealed, and delivered covenant.

The Sultan’s New Role

Joho’s selection is tactical. As a former Deputy Party Leader and a politician with a gladiatorial reputation, he possesses the gravitas to bargain with the Head of State. “Joho is our general in the cabinet,” Oburu stated. “He understands the terrain and has the mandate to ensure our interests are codified, not just implied.”

This move formalizes the dalliance between Raila Odinga’s party and the Kenya Kwanza regime. It moves the relationship from a "gentleman’s agreement" to a transactional partnership, with eyes firmly fixed on the 2027 ballot.

The Negotiation Table

Sources indicate that the talks will center on three pillars: Cabinet representation, diplomatic appointments, and a joint campaign strategy. ODM is reportedly seeking a guarantee of the Running Mate position or a Prime Minister-equivalent role in the next dispensation.

• Power Sharing: Defining specific ratios for government appointments.
• Policy Alignment: Harmonizing the Bottom-Up agenda with ODM’s social democracy manifesto.
• Electoral Pact: Ensuring joint nominations to avoid friendly fire in battleground zones like Nairobi and the Coast.

Risks and Rewards

For Joho, this assignment is a double-edged sword. Success elevates him to the status of a national kingmaker and potential heir to Raila Odinga. Failure, however, could see him accused of selling out the party’s soul for temporary comfort.

“This is the beginning of the formal merger of interests,” observes political commentator Mark Bichachi. “ODM is effectively transitioning from the government-in-waiting to the government-in-sitting.” As the talks commence, the political landscape of 2027 is already being drawn—not by voters, but by negotiators in boardrooms.