Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party has stepped up its push for a major role in the 2027 government.

On Thursday, February 26, 2026, Kibra MP Peter Orero appeared on a morning TV interview and made it clear that his party will demand the Deputy President position in any coalition talks.

Orero told the interviewer that all seats, including the presidency and deputy presidency, will come up for grabs in 2027.

“In 2027, all the seats will be vacant, including the presidency and the deputy presidency. Yes, they will be vacant,” he said.

He stressed that ODM plans to negotiate hard once the time comes.

“One thing, you know where Ruku comes from, and you know the pressure on the ground that they have to defend what they have. And I think our demand as ODM, a political party, is that we will negotiate in 2027.”

He pointed out that politics comes down to numbers.

“When we come with the numbers, then we will say this is what we want. If we don’t have numbers, then they will also say you don’t have numbers. It’s about negotiation,” Orero explained.

But he ruled out backing down on the DP slot.

“But we cannot say that we’ll not demand the deputy presidency. That one will be cheating ourselves. We are going to go flat out,” Orero argued that ODM deserves a fair share because of its size and reach.

He described the party as one of the biggest in Kenya, with support across the country and 18 governors.

“If it is half, it is going to be half because we are a big movement. ODM is one of the biggest political parties,” he said.

The interviewer asked if cabinet positions alone would satisfy ODM, referencing the phrase “ng’ombe nusu”—a term ODM national chairperson Gladys Wanga used earlier to mean splitting power 50-50 like cutting a cow in half. Wanga had declared in a February rally that ODM should get half in any deal with the ruling side.

Orero rejected that idea outright.

“No, that would not be enough,” he replied.

DP role gains importance

He explained that the Deputy President role matters more now because the 2010 Constitution protects it. Unlike in the past, when a president could sack a deputy easily, the current setup shields the position.

“The deputy president is not a vice president. He is shielded by the Constitution and is elected also,” Orero said.

He added that political parties exist to gain power, often through coalitions since no single party can win alone.

“At the moment, there is no single political party that will go alone without forming a coalition,” he noted.

ODM will first talk to the ruling party for a strong joint front in 2027, but it has other options if talks fail.

This comes after sharp pushback from the other side. On February 22, 2026, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku hit back at earlier calls from ODM figures like Oburu Oginga. Ruku told a church gathering in Embu that the DP seat is not vacant and accused critics of irritating the government side.

“Jameni mnatukera. Mweshimiwa Oburu unatu kera… It is not vacant. Iko na mtu ambaye anajua kufanya kazi yake,” he said, defending DP Kithure Kindiki’s performance and support base.

The exchanges show rising tension over power-sharing ahead of 2027. ODM insists on a big stake, while allies of President Ruto and DP Kindiki defend the current setup and warn against early fights. Negotiations will likely heat up as the election nears, with numbers and constitutional protections at the centre of the debate.