ODM's Coast caucus, led by county chairman Mohamed Khamis, has demanded disciplinary action against UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar over remarks they say are undermining unity within the broad-based arrangement ahead of 2027.
A section of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) in the Coast region has demanded disciplinary action against United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Hassan Omar, accusing him of making reckless remarks that threaten to disrupt unity between the two parties.
Speaking during an engagement in Mombasa on Thursday, ODM leaders led by county chairman Mohamed Khamis said Omar's conduct was inconsistent with the values the two parties are meant to uphold under their broad-based governing arrangement.
"We, as the ODM caucus of the Coast, are demanding disciplinary action against the UDA SG Hassan Omar against his loose and reckless tongue. We are a party that champions democracy, and the ideals of Omar are way against ours as ODM," Khamis stated.
The demand follows widespread criticism of Omar over comments he made at a separate Mombasa gathering, where he suggested that "even the dead would rise to ensure President William Ruto wins" a second term. Omar has since said the remarks were metaphorical, and has issued a public apology and clarification amid a wider backlash that has included calls from Mt Kenya UDA legislators for his resignation, as well as a probe opened by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission.
ODM leaders said the fallout from Omar's comments was undermining their own campaign efforts on the ground for Ruto's re-election bid under the broad-based arrangement. Khamis also raised concerns over what he described as attacks on ODM officials by members of the arrangement, urging political partners to instead prioritise building a common agenda ahead of the 2027 General Election.
"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 Coast ODM leaders further dismissed suggestions that the party opposes political competition, challenging UDA and other parties to field candidates in constituencies where they believe they command sufficient support.
Background: A Fragile Coalition Under Strain
The disagreement is the latest flashpoint in ongoing friction between ODM and UDA over how electoral seats will be shared ahead of 2027. ODM has pushed for protection of what it considers its traditional strongholds, while UDA has insisted that political parties should be free to field candidates nationwide. The two parties formally agreed in August to build a coalition and joint manifesto for the next election, but negotiations over seat allocation remain unresolved.
President Ruto has continued to publicly describe UDA and ODM as partners, including during recent engagements in Nyanza, even as tensions within the alliance over internal competition persist.