Oburu reaffirms support for broad-based government, hails by-election wins

ODM party leader and Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga has reiterated his commitment to working with President William Ruto under the broad-based government framework, saying the arrangement remains intact despite ongoing political shifts.

Speaking on Sunday, during the wedding of National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director General’s son, Oburu said late, former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga had already made his position clear on the bipartisan governance model.

He insisted that those who remain within the arrangement would continue supporting the President until the end of his term.

“Raila left us in the broad-based government, and we will continue to work with the President to the end,” he said.

“The end of the term is 2027 but as time goes, we will see how things will fall into place and we pray for the President.”

His remarks come amid heightened debate over the stability and future of the broad-based governance deal, which brought together leaders from across political divides after last year’s national dialogue.

Critics have questioned whether the arrangement still holds, but Oburu insisted that recent political events demonstrate its continued relevance.

The senator also congratulated the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) for sweeping all parliamentary seats in the just-concluded by-elections. He said the results were a strong endorsement of collaborative politics.

“I also want to thank our UDA and ODM who did a good job and won all parliamentary seats in the just concluded by-elections. We defeated those who said there is no broad-based,” he said.

The by-elections, held across several constituencies, were closely watched as a test of political alliances and grassroots mobilisation.

Oburu emphasised that the political environment remains fluid and that decisions regarding future alignments would be guided by national interest.

He noted that the next two years will be critical as the country heads toward the 2027 General Election.

In the just concluded by-elections, ODM and UDA bagged most of the MP seats that had fallen vacant through court nullification or death of office holders.

UDA demonstrated its reach by securing the highly contested Baringo Senate seat through Vincent Chemitei.

This victory was bolstered by notable success in the National Assembly, where the party added to its numbers.

Leonard Wamuthende triumphed in Mbeere North, while David Dakwa secured the Malava MP seat.

Furthermore, the party maintained its influence in the northern region with Maalim Hassan winning the Banissa constituency.

On the other side of the divide, ODM proved its machinery remains potent. The party swept key positions in its traditional bases, with Boyd Were winning the Kasipul parliamentary seat and Moses Omondi taking Ugunja. The coastal region also delivered for the orange party, as Harrison Kombe emerged victorious in Magarini.

However, the elections were not strictly a two-horse race. In a display of grassroots independence, Eric Wekesa defied the major party waves to clinch the Kabuchai MCA seat on an Independent ticket.