Tetu Member of Parliament (MP) Geoffrey Wandeto has come to the defence of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Hassan Omar, dismissing recent criticism directed at him and instead urging the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to focus its political attacks on President William Ruto.

Speaking on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, during an interview with a local TV station, Wandeto described the attacks on Omar as misplaced, arguing that the former Mombasa senator is not responsible for the underlying political tensions.

Wandeto’s remarks come amid escalating tensions between the ruling UDA party and ODM, following complaints by the Orange party over what it termed ‘provocative statements’ by senior UDA leaders amid the ongoing debate over zoning ahead of the 2027 General Election.

“It is sad that they have now gone for Hassan Omar, an innocent bystander. He is not the real architect of this; they are shooting the messenger,” Wandeto said.

He maintained that ODM leaders should redirect their criticism to the Head of State, whom he accused of actively seeking to penetrate traditional ODM strongholds.

Ruto’s political expansion

According to Wandeto, the current friction is part of a broader political strategy by President Ruto to expand his influence into regions historically dominated by ODM.

He argued that such moves have unsettled ODM ranks, contributing to internal disagreements within the party.

“The person they should be going for is the president, because he is the one who wants to get into ODM strongholds,” he stated.

Wandeto further claimed that ODM is currently grappling with internal divisions, suggesting the party is struggling to maintain unity amid external pressure.

“ODM made its bed, it is now lying on it—it is now a divided party,” he said.

ODM’s demand for respect

The latest exchange follows a statement issued by ODM, in which the party accused certain UDA leaders of making remarks that have caused anxiety among its supporters.

ODM called for mutual respect between political actors, warning that continued verbal attacks risk escalating tensions and undermining political cohesion.

In a statement on the official ODM X account on Thursday, April 16, 2026, the party accused select leaders from UDA of causing anxiety and disquiet among ODM members.

“On our relationship with our broad-based partners, the UDA party, the Central Committee noted with concern the goings on and the unwarranted public utterances by some senior officials of the UDA Party aimed at causing anxiety and disquiet among our members,” ODM stated.

While slamming select UDA leaders, the ODM leaders shared the principles, ideology, and foundation of the party.

“As a Party that believes in its principles, ideology and the foundation on which it was founded, we demand RESPECT from the UDA party,” ODM stated.