President William Ruto on Friday, March 7, 2025, met with the members of parliament allied to the Kenya-Kwanza government in a parliamentary group (PG) meeting at the State House ahead of a planned announcement on the details of his working arrangement with Raila Odinga.
In a statement, Ruto remarked that this was a time to put the country first, further hinting at a major arrangement which could see ODM coopted formally into the Kenya-Kwanza government.
“This is the time to put Kenya and the people ahead of any other consideration. We will work together, our political inclinations notwithstanding, to take our country forward,” Ruto said.
“Kenya, and the people, must succeed. At State House, Nairobi chaired the Kenya Kwanza Parliamentary Group meeting.”
ODM meeting
The PG meeting comes even as ODM party leader Raila Odinga is holed up at a Nairobi hotel with the party’s Central Management Committee (CMC) to brief top party officials on the details of the pact with Ruto.
The CMC consists of ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga, Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, deputy party leaders Godfrey Osotsi, Simba Arati and Abdulswamad Nassir, ODM National Treasurer Timothy Bosire and the Executive Director.
The announcement is set to be made at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) even as supporters of Raila Odinga have thronged the streets in anticipation.
Ruto-Raila deal
The working cooperation follows a series of concessions Ruto has made to accommodate Raila and his party since the end of nationwide protests by the Kenyan youth against the 2024 Finance Bill.
In its wake, five members of the ODM party including its then two deputy party leaders Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya were rewarded with cabinet positions alongside former Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi, former ODM chairman John Mbadi and party election official Askul Moe.
In the recent developments in the National Assembly, ODM further took positions in powerful committee leaderships which were previously held by allies of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The budget and appropriations committee is now chaired by Alego-Usonga MP Samuel Atandi who takes over from Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, the Health Committee is headed by James Nyikal who takes over from Endebess MP Robert Pukose while the Labour Committee is chaired by Kilifi South MP Ken Chonga who takes over from Karemba Muchangi.
Other replacements are the Trade and Investments Committee which is chaired by Ikolomani MP Bernard Shinali who takes over from Embakasi North MP James Gakuya and the Regional Integration Committee chairperson Irene Mayaka who replaces Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia.
