Governor Barasa pushes for Kakamega to be zoned an ODM area in a pre-coalition pact with UDA
By Mabonga Makhanu, January 23, 2026Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa now wants his county zoned as an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party area in the upcoming pre-coalition talks with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
While speaking during a forum in his county, the first-term governor, who also doubles as the ODM chairman in Kakamega, stated that they have already urged party leader Oburu Odinga, informing him that Kakamega is an ODM area and that ODM should be the only party fielding candidates in the county in the next general election.
According to Barasa, in the scheduled pre-coalition talks where ODM is set to engage UDA, they want ODM to be the only party fielding candidates in Kakamega and not UDA, since ODM is the dominant party in the county.
He further stated that in the next general election, all six elective seats in Kakamega – President, Governor, Senator, Woman Representative, Member of Parliament, and MCA – should be left to ODM.
“Sisi kama wana ODM tumeambia party leader ya kwamba wakianza mazungumzo, Kakamega must be zoned as ODM zone, kwa sababu ngome yetu ni ODM, na kuanzia kwa kiti ya MCA hadi kwa president tutachagua watu wa ODM.”
ODM associating with DCP
He went ahead to state that this agreement should be included in the pre-coalition talks that will see ODM merge with UDA ahead of the 2027 general election.
The governor, who is now at loggerheads with cooperatives and SME cabinet secretary Wickliffe Oparanya, has also urged the ODM party leader Oburu Odinga to engage other parties and not the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP).
He further told the party leader to sideline DCP in the party’s quest for a coalition pact with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to Fernandes Barasa, the recent resolution by the party’s Central Management Committee (CMC), which tasked the party leader with initiating constructive pre-coalition talks with other parties such as UDA, should not include Rigathi Gachagua’s DCP party. He insisted that ODM should not approach DCP, arguing that the party is known for advancing tribal narratives that go against the values and principles of ODM.
“We have told the party leader, Oburu Odinga, to initiate talks with parties that share a similar vision, such as UDA. That is a party we can sit down and talk with,” he said.