‘We Don’t Want UDA in Nyanza’ – Oburu Escalates ODM Feud as Zoning Demands Intensify
ODM leader Oburu Odinga has delivered a blunt message to UDA as political tensions within Kenya’s broad-based government arrangement continue to grow ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Leader and Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga has intensified his party’s push for political zoning, declaring that the movement’s traditional strongholds must remain under its influence.
Speaking during a political gathering in Homa Bay County on Sunday, August 2, Oburu insisted that ODM had earned the right to safeguard areas where it enjoys significant electoral support.
His remarks appeared to directly challenge the growing presence of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in Nyanza, one of ODM’s traditional political bases.
“Some people say we don’t want zoning. If you don’t want zoning, what do you want? We want zoning because this is our zone. Is Homa Bay not our zone? We don’t want UDA here in Homa Bay,” Oburu said.
Oburu declares ODM strongholds ‘non-negotiable’
The veteran politician argued that counties where ODM has elected governors, MPs and Members of County Assemblies should automatically be regarded as the party’s political zones.
He said ODM should not be expected to negotiate away its influence in areas where it has historically commanded strong support.
“So we start with our areas where we have strongholds, where we have our governors, where we have our MPs, where we have our MCAs. Those are our zones automatically without negotiations,” he said.
Oburu added that ODM supporters should not be reluctant to demand leadership positions in areas where the party has a strong electoral base.
“We are saying that here in our area, we always take the leadership positions; why should you be shy?” he added.
The comments are likely to add pressure to an already delicate political relationship between ODM and President William Ruto’s UDA, particularly as both sides position themselves for the 2027 contest.
ODM seeks to consolidate its wider political base
Oburu also called for greater unity among ODM’s traditional support bases, suggesting that the party is seeking to consolidate its influence beyond Nyanza.
He named Western Kenya, North Eastern, Turkana, the Coast and Maasai areas among regions where ODM wants to strengthen cooperation.
“We want to work with all strongholds of ODM: with Western, Northeastern, Turkana, Coast and Maasai-ini. We want to work all of us together,” Oburu said.
The remarks point to a broader strategy by ODM to strengthen its negotiating position ahead of the 2027 General Election by bringing together regions and political constituencies where the party has historically enjoyed support.
Deputy President position emerges as key battleground
The dispute over zoning comes as negotiations surrounding the future of the broad-based political arrangement increasingly take centre stage.
ODM figures have in recent months placed greater emphasis on the question of who should occupy the Deputy President’s position should the current political partnership continue into the 2027 election.
The issue has the potential to become one of the most contentious elements of negotiations between the two political formations.
Oburu’s comments also underline the difficult balance facing the broad-based arrangement: while ODM and UDA have cooperated at the national level, both parties continue to compete for influence on the ground.
With the 2027 election approaching, the question of which party controls key political territories is expected to become increasingly important.
For ODM, Oburu’s message was unequivocal: the party’s traditional strongholds are not simply bargaining chips, but territories it believes should remain firmly within its political sphere.
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