Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir has openly called on the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to begin formal preparations for a pre-election coalition with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking in Changamwe during an engagement on Monday, April 14, 2025, Governor Nassir said ODM must move beyond the current broad-based government arrangement and enter into a structured and good-faith coalition agreement with UDA to secure its political future.
“We were left in the broad-based government by Raila. There is a need for us who are here now to prepare for 2027. We need to consider formalisation of a pre-election coalition with the United Democratic Alliance in good faith ahead of the 2027 elections,” Nassir stated.
The governor noted that coalition politics is not new to ODM, pointing out that the party has contested the last three general elections through coalition agreements. According to Nassir, early engagement would prevent confusion and uncertainty within the party ranks.
“ODM in the last three elections has been in coalition agreements. I do not see any reason why we should not start preparations now,” he added.
Nassir further urged ODM party leader Oburu Odinga to convene the party’s central committee to chart a clear path forward for 2027. He argued that the ODM constitution empowers the party leadership to initiate early political engagements and warned that unnecessary delays could result in an informal and unstable political arrangement.
“If we delay, we risk ending up in a ‘come-we-stay’ kind of marriage,” the governor cautioned.
He also observed that beyond the implementation of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report and the 10-point agenda agreed with the Kenya Kwanza administration, ODM must make a decisive political choice sooner rather than later.
At the same time, Nassir dismissed any prospects of ODM aligning with the united opposition, saying their political ideas and style do not align with the party’s current direction.
His remarks are likely to stir debate within ODM as the party grapples with internal realignments and strategic positioning ahead of the next general election.