Strategies United Opposition should focus on after losses in by-election
By Luke Oluoch, November 28, 2025The concluded mini-polls of Thursday, November 27, 2025, must have come with monumental political lessons for politicians and political parties.
Whereas the huge wins worked in shoring up President William Ruto’s government and its allies under the broad-based arrangement, the polls touted as dress rehearsals for the upcoming 2027 general elections provided a timely wake-up call for the opposition.
The country’s main opposition—led by figures like Rigathi Gachagua (DCP), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), and Eugene Wamalwa (DAP-K)—has surely drawn vital lessons after suffering defeats in the decisive mini-polls.
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The by-elections filled one Senate seat, six National Assembly seats, and 15 county assembly wards. UDA registered notable victories in Malava, Mbeere North, Banissa, the Baringo Senate, and several wards.
On its part, ODM retained strongholds in Kasipul, where Boyd Were carried the day, Magarini, and Ugunja.
Generally, ODM has posted a stellar performance in the just-concluded November by-elections, recording landslide victories in Magarini, Ugunja, and Kasipul.
Marginal wins
In Malava and Mbeere North government-aligned candidates claimed marginal wins.
In other areas, however, William Ruto’s UDA and its broad-based partner, ODM, dominated ward seats and parliamentary contests.
Among the important strategies the opposition should now adopt is, first and foremost, setting its house in order.
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Internal conflicts
The coalition has a huge task before it of working on its coalition unity after instances of differences and fragmentation were evident during the campaigns.
The development was evident in western Kenya, where, instead of a united front during the campaigning, infighting and counter-accusations dominated and threatened to derail their campaigns for their candidate, Seth Panyako.
Differences in DAP-K leadership and supremacy battles pitting politicians worked against their quest to unitedly advance a common front and defeat the government machinery boasting endless resources and President Ruto’s support system.
Paradigm shift
The faction also needs to adopt an issue-based approach to their politicking and campaigns.
The onset of the campaigns and the build-up to the 2027 polls have seen the opposition face a myriad of accusations as a faction lacking an agenda and strategy other than Ruto Must Go! and Kasongo.
The jury remains out on whether the assertions truly came to play, but the coalition must surely now speak to real issues affecting the masses, other than just the obsession with criticism and name-calling.
Their approach must now turn from and move beyond the politics of personalities and the overreliance on anti-Ruto rhetoric, which appears not to be cracking the code.
Other spheres of concern for the coalition include accelerating their push for electoral reforms.
The losses in heavily contested areas in Malava and Mbeere North have demonstrated that moving to the 2027 elections, possibilities of narrow margins could provide for petitions.
The coalition must invest in legal machinery to wage successful appeals in areas where contestation might arise. The challenge, however, lies in not just launching the petitions but having sufficient grounds for litigation and irrefutable evidence to back their claims.