By Michelle Ndaga
The joint parliamentary group meetings between the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and UDA (Kenya Kwanza) in March and August 2025 illustrate the coalition’s evolution from internal alignment to public strategic action.
The March 2025 meeting marked the initial phase of coalition-building. The UDA Parliamentary Group formally approved a joint framework with ODM, establishing mechanisms for cooperation between the two parties. The meeting was largely internal, procedural, and involved mostly party officials, receiving minimal media coverage. Its agenda focused on endorsing a coalition framework and setting a foundation for future collaboration. The outcome was the formal signing and approval of this framework, signaling early progress in partnership consolidation.
By contrast, the August 18, 2025, meeting at the KCB Leadership Centre in Karen was a high-profile event co-chaired by President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. It brought together MPs from both parties in a nationally attended session aimed at fast-tracking the implementation of the MoU and broadening parliamentary unity. The agenda was more expansive, covering national unity, the 10-point development agenda, support for NADCO recommendations, compensation for protest victims, and electoral strategy.
The August meeting produced six detailed resolutions.
Unlike the March session, August’s meeting was highly publicized, signaling inclusive governance and measurable political commitments.
March 2025 focused on internal party alignment and formal framework endorsement while the recent one August 2025 emphasized national visibility, actionable agendas, and concrete resolutions, moving the coalition from strategy to implementation.
The evolution from March to August shows a clear trajectory from laying a political foundation to setting measurable goals. August’s meeting elevated the coalition’s profile, demonstrated commitment to national priorities, and established expectations for follow-up action, signaling a significant step in ODM–UDA collaboration ahead of Kenya’s broader political calendar.
The August meeting drew a mix of praise and criticism from the public and political commentators. Some lauded the coalition for unity and a clear agenda, while others questioned whether the resolutions would translate into real action.
