MIGORI — President William Ruto has effectively fired the starting gun for the 2027 coalition building, telling Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leaders to stop their internal squabbles and build a "formidable force" capable of partnering with his United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Speaking at the 5th edition of the Luo Piny Festival in Migori County, the President did not mince words. He moved beyond the polite rhetoric of the "broad-based government" established in 2024, framing a future where a strengthened ODM is a prerequisite for a formal power-sharing deal in the next general election.

"I want you to organize yourselves," Ruto told the gathering, which included key Nyanza leaders. "Strengthen your party so that we can form a formidable political force together."

The 'Bigger Stake' Condition

The President's challenge comes as the ODM old guard begins to set terms for this inevitable union. Dr. Oburu Oginga, the ODM party leader and elder statesman, publicly declared that the party is ready to back Ruto's re-election—but the price will be steep.

"We will support President William Ruto beyond 2027, but ODM must have a bigger stake in the next government," Oburu asserted, emphasizing that the current cabinet appointments were merely an appetizer. "We are not ready to gamble with the lives of Kenyans. We must be part of the next regime."

This transactional approach marks a definitive shift in Nyanza politics. For decades, the region's loyalty was ideological; today, it is increasingly pragmatic. The message to the electorate is clear: proximity to the State House puts food on the table.

Internal Rifts Threaten the Deal

However, the path to a UDA-ODM super-alliance is paved with internal landmines. The President's call for a "united" party was a direct reference to the widening cracks within Orange House.

• The Pro-Government Faction: Led by Cabinet Secretaries like Opiyo Wandayi (Energy) and Hassan Joho (Mining), who view the alliance as the region's economic lifeline.
• The Resistance: A vocal wing, often associated with Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, that fears the total death of opposition politics and loss of the party's identity.

"Being at the executive is sweet," CS Wandayi remarked candidly at a separate event in Siaya. "If nobody can bargain for you at the negotiation table, you are doomed as a community."

The Development Carrot

For the average resident of Migori or Kisumu, these high-level machinations are judged by one metric: development. The President's tour was punctuated by promises of completing stalled infrastructure projects, a strategy designed to show that the "handshake" is bearing fruit in Kenya Shillings, not just political posts.

Analysts note that Ruto needs a cohesive ODM to deliver the Nyanza voting bloc intact. A fragmented party could see the emergence of independent candidates or voter apathy, complicating the President's math for 2027.

As the crowds dispersed in Migori, the political reality settled in: The opposition as Kenya knew it is effectively dissolving. In its place, a new, massive governing machine is being assembled, with Ruto as the architect and ODM invited to be the cornerstone—if they can stop fighting long enough to lay the cement.