National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has revealed that leaders within the Kenya Kwanza coalition repeatedly encouraged President William Ruto to reach out to the late Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga.

Speaking on the evolving political cooperation between the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and ODM, on the night of Wednesday, January 28, 2026, during an interview with a local TV station, Wetang’ula said the decision by Ruto to open dialogue with the ODM party significantly reduced political tension and restored calm across the country.

“As partners in Kenya Kwanza with President Ruto, whose party is UDA, we have encouraged him repeatedly to reach out to Mzee Raila Odinga. To begin with, the moment President Ruto sat with Mzee Raila and discussed and agreed that there can be a political engagement, the political temperatures in the country dropped feasibly, noticeably, and significantly to the appreciation of many Kenyans,” Wetang’ula said.

Inclusion

The Ford Kenya party leader noted that Kenya’s fragile political environment required consensus-building rather than exclusion, stressing that the country functions best when all major political forces feel accommodated.

Wetang’ula further defended the ongoing talks between UDA and ODM, describing them as a continuation of earlier political engagements and a practical approach to governance rather than a threat to Kenya Kwanza partners.

“We have encouraged the president that this country needs everybody. The late Raila left his party in a broad-based government arrangement. Ongoing discussion between UDA and ODM is laudable because it is something Raila had started. As Ford Kenya, the talks are not worrying us; politics is a game of numbers,” he said.

Ruto on UDA-ODM partnership

Wetang’ula’s remarks come days after Ruto declared that he is targeting a landslide victory in the 2027 General Election, saying he wants to win by a margin of between two and three million votes, following his partnership with ODM.

Speaking at State House during the UDA National Governing Council (NGC) meeting on Monday, January 26, 2026, Ruto said lessons from past political turbulence had informed the formation of the current broad-based government, which he described as a success.

“As we talk today, we have a broad-based government arrangement. Tulikuwa na matatizo, makelele, fujo, na maandamano, na tukasema in every challenge, there is a silver lining, and there is opportunity if you look carefully. In that challenge, we decided to create an opportunity out of it,” Ruto said.