Gladys Wanga Dares Uhuru as ODM Demands 50-50 Power Deal with Ruto

The political foundations of Kenya are shifting once again as the ODM party’s “Linda Ground” faction officially turns its sights on retired President Uhuru Kenyatta. In a dramatic series of events that culminated in a church service at Full Gospel Muhoroni in Kisumu, high-ranking ODM leaders, led by National Chairperson Gladys Wanga, signaled the definitive end of the “Handshake” era by accusing their former ally of attempting to sabotage the country’s new political direction.

The friction reached a breaking point following Uhuru’s recent address in Kirinyaga during the burial of former Senator Daniel Karaba. While Uhuru called for “principled leadership” and “informed decisions” in 2027, ODM’s pro-government wing interpreted this as a direct attack on the Broad-Based Government partnership between President William Ruto and the ODM leadership. The Linda Ground faction has now characterized Uhuru as a “thorn in the flesh” for the current administration, further isolating the retired head of state from his former Nyanza support base.

As ODM prepares to sit at the negotiating table with the UDA Party, the stakes have never been higher. The party has laid out its irreducible minimums, emphasizing that it will not play “second fiddle” to the ruling party. Central to these demands is a strict Zoning Policy, with Gladys Wanga and other leaders insisting that ODM strongholds—particularly in Nairobi, Nyanza, and parts of Western Kenya—are non-negotiable “no-go zones” for UDA candidates.

The party is also pushing for a 50/50 power-sharing deal, a move they argue is justified by their role in stabilizing the government during recent periods of unrest. This aggressive stance is designed to ensure that any merger or pre-election pact results in a coalition of equals. Some factions within the party, including those aligned with Oburu Oginga, have even hinted at demanding the Deputy President slot as part of the 2027 ticket, signaling a total reconfiguration of the current executive structure.

Despite the outward display of unity in Muhoroni, the ODM party is grappling with deep internal fissures. While the Linda Ground faction moves closer to an outright merger with UDA, a rival group known as the Linda Mwananchi faction, led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, has rejected the cooperation as a “charade.” Sifuna’s team argues that the 10-point cooperation agenda between Ruto and the late former leadership is being misrepresented to hoodwink the public

This internal tug-of-war highlights the precarious nature of the UDA-ODM alliance. While the pro-merger wing sees the partnership as the only viable path to power in 2027, the dissenting faction warns that the party risks losing its identity and its legacy as an opposition powerhouse. As the 2027 general election approaches, the battle for the “soul of ODM” will likely determine the fate of Kenya’s next political dispensation.