Lawyer Kepher Ojijo speaking on October 28, 2025/HANDOUTA section of professionals has backed the strengthening of ties between the United Democratic Alliance and the Orange party, saying the partnership could be President William Ruto’s sure path to a second term—with Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga as his running mate.
Led by lawyer Kepher Ojijo, the group said a Ruto–Wanga ticket would present political balance and gender inclusivity, easily appealing to voters across traditional party lines.
Ojijo noted that the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga had created fresh momentum for unity between the two parties, saying his political allies were likely to remain within government and form “an even stronger unit” with UDA ahead of the 2027 elections.
“The popular broad-based arrangement was meant to warm up the unity of purpose between UDA and ODM in winning the 2027 elections. Even with the demise of Raila, his political troops will remain in government and strengthen ties with UDA,” he said.
He argued that both parties, currently facing internal challenges, had a strategic need to lean on each other.
“With UDA’s popularity dipping in Mt Kenya and ODM grappling with internal disunity, a coalition founded on shared presidency—where the presidential candidate and running mate come from different parties—would be politically compelling,” Ojijo said.
He recalled that during the launch of the Female Governors Caucus on March 7, 2024, Ruto pledged that his future running mate would be a woman, while Raila’s choice of Martha Karua as his 2022 running mate underscored the need to elevate women in national leadership.
“With that shared spirit and the growing acceptance of women leadership, the debate now narrows to who would be the best-suited female candidate from ODM to deputise President Ruto.”.
He described Wanga as an experienced grassroots mobiliser and party loyalist whose charisma and empathy make her stand out.
“Wanga beats all odds as the first female governor from the Western–Nyanza region and the first female national chairperson of ODM,” he said, adding that her inclusion on the ticket would reflect “the face of Kenya’s new politics.”
Professionals from the North Rift, led by Joel Cheruiyot and Janet Karemei, echoed the sentiments, saying a Ruto–Wanga pairing would bolster the President’s re-election prospects.
“We strongly believe that if Ruto picks Governor Wanga as his deputy, he will likely win over the entire ODM support base and secure an easy second term,” Cheruiyot said, while praising the growing cooperation between Nyanza and the Rift Valley.
Instant analysis
The proposal of a Ruto–Wanga ticket signals an intriguing realignment in Kenya’s post-Raila political landscape. It reflects growing recognition that future power equations may hinge less on traditional party loyalties and more on pragmatic regional and gender balancing. By fronting Wanga, a prominent ODM leader from Nyanza, UDA strategists could seek to consolidate support in a region historically opposed to Ruto while projecting inclusivity and continuity of Raila’s legacy. However, such a coalition would test ODM’s cohesion, as some loyalists may view it as ideological surrender. Still, it underscores a broader shift toward coalition-based, personality-driven politics ahead of 2027.
