By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 30 December 2025 - A section of Members of County Assembly (MCAs) in Kisumu County have openly rallied behind the Broad-Based Government (BBG), arrangement.
They declared their support for cooperation between the ruling administration and the opposition, even as they vowed to remain loyal to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.
Speaking on Tuesday during a public gathering attended by political leaders and supporters, the MCAs said they would hold their position until next year - 2026 - when ODM is expected to formally announce its official stand on whether to continue cooperating with the government or to join a united opposition ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The leaders emphasised that their current stance was guided by the need for stability, development, and unity, while respecting party structures and discipline.
Nyakach MP Joshua Aduma Owuor said the decision to support the broad-based approach was not an abandonment of ODM ideals but a strategic move to safeguard the interests of the people.
“As things stand now, this is where we are as leaders. We support cooperation for the good of our people, and I want to assure you that ODM support on the ground is rock solid,” said MP Owuor.
“We are not confused, and our supporters should not be confused. ODM remains strong, and our people remain steadfast.”
The event host, Jonathan Opande, who is eyeing Nyakach Parliamentary seat, a longtime ODM mobiliser and community leader, echoed the MP’s sentiments, urging supporters to remain calm and united as the party charts its path.
“ODM is a disciplined party. We respect the leadership and the party organs. Until the party officially tells us the direction to take, we will remain firm, united, and focused,” Opande said.
“Working with the government does not mean abandoning our values. It means engaging for the benefit of our people.”
The MCAs were categorical that their support for the broad-based government was informed by the need to unlock development opportunities in Kisumu County and the larger Nyanza region.
They pointed out that cooperation with the national government had already begun yielding tangible results in terms of engagement and inclusion.
One of the MCAs noted that politics should not be reduced to perpetual confrontation.
“Our people want services, not endless political fights. If dialogue and cooperation can bring roads, jobs, and opportunities, then that is the responsible path,” Omollo said.
Another MCA, Mr Owade, stressed that their loyalty to ODM remained intact despite backing President William Ruto’s cooperation with the opposition.
“Let it be clear: supporting the broad-based government does not mean we have left ODM. We are firmly in ODM, and we are strengthening it from the grassroots,” he said.
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The leaders announced that beginning in the new year, their main focus would shift to grassroots mobilisation, with a deliberate strategy to strengthen the party’s base.
They said their efforts would include voter education, voter registration, and national ID mobilisation, particularly targeting the youth.
“Our work starts at the grassroots. From January, we will be in the villages mobilising voters, helping young people acquire IDs, and strengthening ODM structures at the lowest level,” said Omollo.
“That is how you prepare for 2027 — not through noise, but through organization.”
Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor reinforced this position, saying ODM’s strength has always been anchored at the grassroots.
“ODM has never been a boardroom party. It is a people’s movement, and that is why our support remains unshaken on the ground,” Aduma said.
“I want to ask our supporters to remain steadfast in ODM. Do not be swayed by propaganda. The party is strong, united, and focused.”
The leaders also defended ODM’s engagement with President William Ruto, saying the cooperation was based on national interest rather than political expediency.
“We support President Ruto for choosing dialogue and inclusion. As things stand, that is where we are. Let's remain united under our party leader Dr Oburu Odinga who will shepherd us to the next direction,” MP Owuor stated.
Owuor said: “This cooperation must work for Kenyans, and if it does, then it is something we should all support.”
Opande added that ODM supporters should not view cooperation as weakness.
“Dialogue is not surrender. It is strength. ODM has always stood for justice, democracy, and the welfare of the people, and those principles do not change. This is our party let's build it,” he said.
As the 2027 General Elections draw closer, the leaders said they would wait patiently for ODM’s official position, insisting that whatever decision the party takes will be respected.
“When the party speaks, we shall listen. Until then, we remain united, organised, and focused on building the party from the ground up,” MCA Nyaoke said.
The statements reflect a growing sentiment among some ODM leaders in Kisumu County who see strategic cooperation as a means of securing development while keeping the party’s political machinery intact — a balancing act that is likely to shape local and national politics heading into 2027.
