Speaking on Wednesday night, January 28, 2026, during a TV interview, Wetang’ula said Ruto’s engagement with ODM helped calm political tensions across the country.
“As partners in Kenya Kwanza with President Ruto, whose party is UDA, we have encouraged him repeatedly to reach out to Mzee Raila Odinga. The moment President Ruto sat with Mzee Raila and agreed to political engagement, the political temperatures in the country dropped noticeably and significantly,” he said.
Wetang’ula noted that Kenya’s political environment needs cooperation among all major parties.
He said the talks between UDA and ODM are a continuation of previous engagements and a practical approach to governance.
“We have encouraged the president that this country needs everybody. The late Raila left his party in a broad-based government arrangement. Ongoing discussion between UDA and ODM is commendable because it is something Raila had started. As Ford Kenya, these talks do not worry us; politics is a game of numbers,” he added.
The remarks came days after President Ruto declared that he is aiming for a landslide victory in the 2027 General Election, targeting a margin of two to three million votes with the UDA-ODM partnership.
Speaking at State House during the UDA National Governing Council meeting on Monday, January 26, 2026, Ruto said lessons from past political turbulence had informed the formation of the current broad-based government.
“As we talk today, we have a broad-based government arrangement. Tulikuwa na matatizo, makelele, fujo, na maandamano, na tukasema in every challenge, there is a silver lining, and there is opportunity if you look carefully. In that challenge, we decided to create an opportunity out of it,” he said.
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