ODM skips crucial joint meeting with Ruto’s UDA over Sh12bn party’s cash

Fresh cracks are threatening the broad-based political arrangement between ODM and UDA after the Orange party skipped a planned joint National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

The opposition party on Monday pulled out from the joint meeting, requesting more time to deliberate on the proposed agenda.

The party led by Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga then convened its Central Committee, where they resolved to suspend participation in joint activities with UDA until the government addresses an outstanding Sh12 billion debt owed to political parties through the Political Parties Fund.

Multiple sources who attended the Monday meeting said there was frustration that the arrears, which they say have accumulated over several years, were not adequately provided for in the upcoming financial year's budget.

Although ODM recently received about Sh200 million as part-payment, insiders said senior officials dismissed the allocation as ‘tokenism’.

"We do not want tokens. The issue is the full settlement of the debt owed to political parties," a source who attended the meeting told the Star.

“Things got worse after it was clear that even the proposed budget has no allocation for the settlement of the arrears which has dragged for years.”

After lengthy deliberations, the meeting is understood to have tasked Oburu with escalating the matter directly to President William Ruto in a bid to secure a political solution.

ODM leaders are expected to convene another Central Committee meeting on Monday next week to assess progress on the funding dispute and determine the party's next course of action.

“We shall meet again next week to deliberate on the progress made concerning the debt,” another member of the Committee told the Star.

The dispute now raises fresh questions about the stability of the broad-based arrangement that brought together ODM and UDA following months of political engagement between President Ruto and ODM's founding leader Raila Odinga.

The Monday meeting will also finalise plans for a nationwide mobilisation and membership drive that the party intends to roll out in the coming weeks as it seeks to strengthen its grassroots structures ahead of the 2027 General Election.

ODM national chairperson Gladys Wanga last week said the party has developed an extensive outreach programme targeting both traditional strongholds and emerging support zones.

"The Central Committee will meet and release the official itinerary, but largely we want to move to Northern Kenya, Turkana and meet the Maa community," Wanga told the Star.

"We also want to engage our supporters in places such as Eldoret. We have a comprehensive schedule that will be confirmed after the Central Committee meeting."

According to Wanga, the tours are intended to reconnect the leadership with supporters, recruit new members and address concerns that have emerged.

The rallies will also provide a platform for ODM leaders to articulate the party's agenda and demonstrate that its grassroots machinery remains intact despite recent political realignments.

Acting ODM secretary general Catherine Omanyo said the party is targeting at least 25 counties where it enjoys significant support.

"The Central Committee resolved that we embark on a vigorous exercise to popularise and strengthen the party in all parts of the country, particularly in our strongholds. We have no choice but to expand and strengthen our identity," Omanyo said.

The renewed focus on grassroots mobilisation is also viewed as critical in preserving ODM's bargaining power in coalition negotiations with their broad-based partner, UDA.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

Political observers say the latest standoff could test the resilience of the broad-based partnership, particularly if the funding dispute remains unresolved and ODM continues to withhold participation in joint engagements with its ruling party counterpart