The Kakamega Woman Representative has warned that the county may walk out of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) if the Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya is not included in the ODM–United Democratic Alliance (UDA) talks.

While speaking during the Linda Ground forum held in Butere on Sunday, January 18, 2025, she announced that Kakamega County delegates had unanimously agreed to and endorsed the talks that arose as a resolution of the party’s Central Management Committee (CMC).

The CMC had permitted the party leader, Oburu Odinga, to engage other like-minded parties, including UDA, as part of ODM’s preparations for the 2027 General Election.

She went on to state that since the county has unanimously agreed and endorsed the talks, their son, Oparanya, who previously served as ODM’s deputy party leader before being appointed to President William Ruto’s Cabinet, should also represent the county’s interests in the talks.

“Kama Oparanya hatakuwa kwenye meza na sisi tutatoka nje,” Muhanda stated.

Days prior, Muhanda endorsed the former Kakamega governor for the deputy president position, saying that he has the capacity to be President Ruto’s running mate in 2027. She went on to heap praise on Oparanya, stating that he is currently the kingpin of the Western Kenya region.

This comes just days after MPs from the Coastal region also demanded that Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho be given a seat in the ODM–UDA talks to represent the interests of the Coast region in the high-level negotiations that could see ODM form a coalition with UDA.

The calls for the inclusion of Wycliffe Oparanya in the ODM–UDA talks were also seconded by Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe, who similarly demanded that the Cabinet Secretary be part of the negotiations.

ODM’s Linda Ground

This came during the ODM Linda Ground forum currently being held in Butere, after which the ODM entourage is expected to proceed to Kakamega Town, where the county governor will be hosting another forum.

The developments follow a similar exercise in Busia County, which was hosted by Busia Governor Paul Otuoma, where, according to ODM, county delegates unanimously agreed to the party forming a pact with UDA.