Senate Majority Leader Cheruiyot Says UDA Will Negotiate With ODM as Equal Partner

Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot announced in Kisumu on Saturday November 7, 2026 that the United Democratic Alliance will enter structured negotiations with the Orange Democratic Movement as an equal partner ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The statement was made as the ruling party sought to calm tensions after hard-line UDA members had hinted at a loose cooperation lacking a binding agreement, and Cheruiyot said the talks aim to deliver the people to “Canaan” in line with the vision of the late Raila Odinga.

He noted that the Nyanza region, with 3,398,917 registered voters according to the 2026 IEBC projection, represents the third-largest voting bloc in the country, and that during the last election the counties of Migori, Homa Bay, Kisumu and Siaya recorded turnouts between 70.9 percent and 74.5 percent, well above the national average of 63.67 percent.

A July 2026 TIFA poll cited by the Senate leader showed that 89 percent of eligible citizens in Nyanza were registered to vote, the highest density in Kenya.

Cheruiyot reiterated the UDA commitment at a Gor Mahia supporters’ empowerment event at Lela Primary School on November 6, 2026, echoing President William Ruto’s earlier assurances that the alliance would respect ODM’s strength and not treat it as a junior partner.

Local lawmakers including Kisumu West MP Rosa Buyu, Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor, Nyando MP Jared Okello, Kisumu Senator Prof Tom Ojienda and Deputy Governor Dr Mathews Owili welcomed the prospect of a formal pact, with Buyu stating that “clear parameters must protect the union” and Okello adding that they simply want “formal engagement, which is a standard principle of the coalitions as set in the Political Parties Act.”

Cheruiyot warned opposition figures such as Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua against intervening in Nyanza, saying there is “no turning back” and condemning tribal-based politics.

He also highlighted ongoing state-backed projects, including the multi-billion-shilling Rironi-Mau Summit road expansion and upcoming leasing arrangements for sugarcane factories that will provide bonuses similar to those given to tea growers in Kericho.