Otiende Amollo: Let zoning debate be settled in ODM-UDA structured talks
By Mabonga Makhanu, April 18, 2026Otiende Amollo, the Rarieda MP, has slammed Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) members holding zoning talks, terming them premature and saying they should be deferred and handled during upcoming structured talks with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
While speaking during a fundraiser in Migori on Friday, April 17, 2026, the outspoken lawmaker urged ODM members to desist, insisting that the only appropriate forum for zoning discussions is during structured talks with their broad-based partners—not at funerals or fundraisers, as is currently happening.
He called on anyone with a differing opinion on zoning to present it during the official negotiations.
“Hakuna haja ya kuanza kubishana iwe kwa Matanga iwe kwa press conference; the place for such kinds of talks is in the negotiations. We must have, and I have always insisted we must have, structured negotiations. Come and say why zoning is bad; come and say why zoning is good.”
He also took a swipe at the zoning debate, noting that it has both advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, according to Otiende, it can promote democracy, but on the flip side, it can undermine it.
He stated that even former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was against zoning and the idea of having leaders elected from a single party, even in his Nyanza stronghold, instead advocating for multiple parties to win seats. He added that zoning can sideline popular politicians simply because they do not belong to the dominant party in a region.
ODM zooing
This comes at a time when ODM leaders, led by Gladys Wanga, have been pushing for zoning as a bare minimum in their upcoming pre-coalition talks with UDA.
They have demanded that UDA should not field candidates in the Nyanza region, arguing that it is an ODM stronghold, and warning that failure to agree on zoning could see them walk out of the negotiations and field their own presidential candidate.
The developments also come as the structured negotiations appear to be in limbo. During a recent Central Management Committee meeting held on Thursday, April 16, 2026, ODM suspended coalition talks to focus on countrywide rallies and meetings aimed at rejuvenating and popularising the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Sifuna’s disappointment
Meanwhile, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has expressed disappointment with the current state of ODM, noting that during the party’s peak, zoning was never an issue. He said the party never had to formally discuss zoning, especially in Luo Nyanza, as it was widely known to be an ODM stronghold where rival parties rarely fielded candidates.