Nyando MP Okello Says ODM Has No Time to Negotiate With Opposition Parties

By Kepher Otieno - Reporter

Kenya, 28 January 2026 - Nyando MP Jared Okello has declared that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has closed the door on negotiations with opposition political parties, insisting that any future political cooperation will be confined to engagements with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) or its allies.

Speaking during the Nyando food relief and development exercise, Okello warned opposition parties against pursuing talks with ODM, saying the party’s strategic focus had shifted decisively towards power-sharing arrangements within government.

“Opposition parties should not waste time negotiating with ODM. Our talks of cooperation will only orbit between UDA and ODM, and if not UDA then ODA,” Okello said, describing the approach as a possible fusion of political interests rather than temporary alliances.

Okello disclosed that ODM had already structured its negotiation framework and delegated the task to the party’s de facto leader, Dr Oburu Oginga Odinga.

He said Oburu had been mandated to spearhead high-level engagements with UDA on behalf of ODM.

“We have tasked Dr Oburu Oginga Odinga to lead negotiations with the ruling party. The objective is clear—to secure a stronger stake for ODM in government,” he said.

At the centre of the talks, according to Okello, is the expansion of ODM’s representation within the executive and state institutions under the broad-based government (BBG) arrangement. He said the party was dissatisfied with its current share of power, which he described as disproportionately low.

“As things stand under the BBG, ODM has only six Cabinet Secretaries and a few Principal Secretaries. That is not commensurate with our political weight,” Okello said.

He revealed that ODM is now pushing for a significantly larger presence in government, particularly at the level of Principal Secretaries and heads of parastatals. “In the new deal, ODM is looking at not less than 30 Principal Secretaries out of the current 54, and additional Cabinet positions,” he said, adding that control of strategic parastatals was also part of the negotiation agenda.

Okello framed the shift as a pragmatic recalibration rather than ideological compromise, arguing that prolonged opposition politics had delivered little tangible benefit to ODM strongholds, particularly in Nyanza. “Our people cannot afford to gamble at hopeless odds with other political parties in the unfolding political dispensation. This country has moved on,” he said.

He rallied the Luo community to back President William Ruto ahead of the 2027 General Election, saying the time had come for the region to prioritise access to power and resources over political symbolism.

“Luos cannot afford to play the politics of opposition for many years. This time round, the community has decided that no amount of political mockery will sway or push us back to opposition,” Okello said.

Present were Gender CS Hannah Cheptumo, PS Caroline Agengo, LBDA MD Wycliffe Ochiaga, Kisumu County commissioner Benard leparmorijo, MCAs Maurice Ngeta, Pete Oiko and a host of state and local leaders at lela and Ranjira comprehensive and secondary schools in Nyando constituency, Kisumu County.

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The MP argued that alignment with the ruling coalition was already yielding dividends, citing the Nyando relief intervention, flood mitigation funding and planned infrastructure projects as evidence of the benefits of proximity to power.

He said continued engagement with government would accelerate development and secure the region a meaningful voice in national decision-making.

Okello’s remarks underscore a broader realignment within ODM as it navigates its place in the broad-based government and positions itself ahead of 2027.

His comments also signal growing confidence among ODM leaders who favour consolidation within government rather than confrontation from the opposition benches.

In drawing firm red lines against opposition negotiations, Okello’s position reflects a strategic bet that deeper integration into government—through Cabinet slots, Principal Secretary positions and parastatal leadership—offers a more sustainable pathway for political relevance and regional development.

The statements, delivered in the context of a state-led humanitarian and development exercise, highlight how governance outcomes and political bargaining are increasingly intertwined, as parties seek to convert cooperation into concrete power-sharing arrangements under the evolving broad-based government framework.

Cheptumo asked residents to back Ruto for two terms.

She said the president had done a lot for the people of Nyanza and will still do more if they rally behind him. Ochiaga also echoed the same thing and so was PS Agengo.

They spoke during the distribution of assorted foods stuffs and or relief food gifted to the residents by President Ruto to Nyando residents whose crops were recently annihilated by Quelea birds and floods exposing thousands of households to pangs of hunger.

Okello and PS Agengo thanked the president for his demonstrated universal altruism. They said they owe him a debt of gratitude and will focus on his re-election campaign in the region.