During the ODM Founders Dinner in Mombasa on Saturday, President William Ruto clarified his position regarding his political allegiance, rejecting recent calls to rejoin the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
Wearing a yellow Kaunda suit to represent his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party and an orange hat to nod to ODM, Ruto, a founding member and former deputy party leader of ODM, used humor to address the delicate political message.
“Earlier today, I was in Kitui, and I knew that when I come for this ODM meeting, Simba Arati will start telling me to join ODM because he is used to saying it,” Ruto joked, drawing laughter from the audience.
He explained that the yellow suit was meant to reassure UDA supporters of his loyalty, while the orange accent represented his commitment to maintaining a broad-based government. “I knew the UDA members would think I had left them, so I decided to wear yellow. But I had to mix with orange so that they can see I am still broad-based,” he said.
Ruto also reaffirmed his administration’s support for ODM, highlighting that several party members currently serve in his Cabinet, demonstrating continued collaboration between the two parties.
The remarks come amid calls from ODM leadership, particularly Kisii Governor and ODM Deputy Party Leader Simba Arati, urging Ruto to return to his former party following the passing of ODM’s former leader, Raila Odinga. Arati suggested that if Ruto rejoined, he could automatically become ODM’s 2027 presidential candidate.
Ruto’s response made it clear that while he respects ODM’s legacy and is committed to national unity, he has no plans to abandon UDA. He emphasized that his administration will continue to offer support to ODM where needed, maintaining a cooperative approach rather than a partisan realignment.
With the 2027 General Election on the horizon, Ruto’s careful balancing act—symbolized by his yellow and orange attire signals both loyalty to his party and an inclusive approach to governance, keeping the Kenya Kwanza coalition intact while honoring the legacy of ODM.
