EALA MP Winnie Odinga has revealed that the broad-based cooperation agreement between President William Ruto and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is nearing its expiry, a development she says explains the President’s renewed push to align ODM with his 2027 re-election bid.
Speaking during an interview with Yvonne Okwara on Citizen TV on Tuesday, January 27, Winnie stated that the 10-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and ODM on March 7, 2025, is set to expire on March 7, 2026. The agreement, signed at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), established a framework for political cooperation between the two parties.
According to Winnie, any discussions around a new pre-coalition or political arrangement cannot proceed unless the commitments outlined in the 10-point agenda are fully implemented. She emphasized that the expiry date was intentionally included to allow ODM to assess progress on key issues such as social justice, anti-corruption reforms and governance before making decisions ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“That date was deliberately put there so that we review how far we have gone on social justice, anti-graft and the other agreed issues before deciding our next steps,” she said.
Winnie warned that President Ruto’s push for a fresh deal would be premature if the government fails to honour the existing agreement, which she described as a social contract with the Kenyan people.
“If the agreement is trashed or ignored, then there is no basis for negotiating on behalf of Kenyans or ODM supporters,” she added.
She also dismissed claims that the agreement could be rendered irrelevant by political changes, insisting that its validity goes beyond individuals.
“It cannot be trashed simply because Raila Odinga is no longer in the picture,” Winnie noted.
Her remarks come amid growing speculation over ODM’s political direction ahead of 2027 and questions about whether the ruling coalition is seeking broader support without first delivering promised reforms. ODM has previously set conditions for any further engagement, including equitable power sharing and, crucially, full implementation of the 10-point agenda.
A team overseeing the agreement’s implementation recently met at State House and is expected to present a preliminary progress report on February 6, just weeks before the agreement expires.