A section of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has called for disciplinary action against United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Hassan Omar over remarks he made concerning election rigging.
Speaking during an engagement in Mombasa on Thursday, ODM representatives led by county chairman Mohamed Khamis accused Omar of making statements they said could undermine unity and cohesion among members of the broad-based arrangement.
The leaders singled out Omar’s recent remark that “even the dead would rise to ensure President William Ruto wins”, which the UDA official has since described as a metaphor.
“We, as the ODM caucus of the Coast, are demanding disciplinary action against the UDA SG Hassan Omar against hi loose and reckless tongue. We as are a party that champions democracy, and the ideals of Omar are way against ours as ODM,” stated Khamis.
The ODM officials said their efforts to mobilise support for President William Ruto’s second-term bid under the broad-based arrangement were being affected by remarks attributed to Omar.
They also raised concerns over what they described as attacks on ODM officials by some members of the political arrangement, urging the partners to concentrate on establishing a shared agenda ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The leaders further asked UDA to clarify ODM’s position within the arrangement as negotiations between the two parties continue.
“ODM leaders and members are touring Mombasa County, explaining the President's policies and what he intends to do for us as he seeks a second term. However, it is disheartening to see that those with whom we share a broad-based arrangement lack a substantive agenda; their only agenda is attacking ODM leaders. We respectfully ask them to decide whether we are their partners or our adversaries,” Khamis added.
The ODM leaders also rejected claims that the party was opposed to political competition, challenging UDA and other parties to field candidates in areas where they believed they had enough support.
The latest dispute comes amid disagreements between ODM and UDA over proposed electoral seat-sharing arrangements ahead of the 2027 polls.
ODM leaders have pushed for the protection of areas they regard as traditional strongholds, while UDA has maintained that political parties should be free to field candidates across the country.
The question of how the parties will share or contest seats remains part of broader negotiations. In August, ODM and UDA formally agreed to work towards a coalition and develop a joint manifesto for the 2027 election.
President William Ruto has continued to describe ODM and UDA as political partners, including during his recent engagements in Nyanza, despite earlier disagreements over the extent to which the two parties should compete against each other in the 2027 elections.
