Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has issued a sharp warning to Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna following the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party’s decision to initiate formal pre-coalition talks with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Taking to his official X account on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, after a meeting of UDA’s National Executive Committee (NEC), chaired by party leader President William Ruto, Cherargei noted that the ruling party had unanimously agreed to begin negotiations with ODM in what he described as a move toward a more “cohesive, united and democratic country.”
“My party, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), through the National Executive Committee chaired by Party Leader H.E. Dr William Ruto, has agreed to initiate a pre-coalition agreement with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party towards the 2027 elections,” Cherargei said.
The outspoken senator lauded the decision as historic, framing it as part of efforts to entrench a broad-based government and to honour the political legacy of the late ODM leader Raila Odinga, whom he described as a patriot.
“I congratulate my party for this noble initiative to have a cohesive, united and democratic country through a broad-based government and also in honour of the legacy of patriot Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga,” he added, insisting that UDA members and Kenyans were “100 per cent solidly behind this decision.”
However, Cherargei issued remarks directed at Sifuna, who is the ODM party Secretary General, warning him not to move any closer to the UDA-ODM negotiations.
Sifuna, who has been vocal in his criticism of the broad-based government arrangement between President Ruto and ODM, was singled out as a potential obstacle to the planned talks.
“We don’t expect Sifuna anywhere near these negotiations because he is a renowned saboteur of the broad-based government,” Cherargei warned.
Ruto’s UDA has approved the proposed plans to initiate negotiations with the ODM party, paving the way for an imminent pre-2027 coalition talks deal between the two.
The National Executive Committee, in a statement dated Wednesday, January 14, 2026, following a meeting presided over by President Ruto, advised the party leadership to establish mechanisms for the said structured engagement to achieve the desired outcome.
“The NEC noted the decision of the ODM Party Central Management Committee to initiate structured negotiations with the UDA Party, in the Kenya Kwanza Coalition, to strengthen the ongoing political partnership and negotiate a coalition agreement ahead of the 2027 general elections and MANDATED the UDA Party Leader to establish mechanisms for structured engagement with the ODM party to achieve the desired outcome,” part of the statement read.
