The ODM party has warned that it will not accept any political deal that allows UDA to field candidates in areas it considers its strongholds in the 2027 General Election.
The statement signals rising political tension as parties begin positioning themselves ahead of the next polls.
On Tuesday, several ODM leaders expressed concern over what they described as a growing trend by UDA to identify and line up candidates in regions historically supportive of ODM.
They cautioned that such moves could undermine any potential pre-election agreement between the two parties.
According to ODM officials, any political understanding reached ahead of 2027 must respect each party’s zones of influence to avoid internal conflicts and vote splitting.
They argued that mutual respect for traditional support bases would be essential if cooperation talks were to succeed.
However, UDA’s Secretary dismissed the concerns, saying ODM should not be worried if it is confident about its popularity in those regions.
He maintained that in a competitive democracy, every political party has the constitutional right to field candidates in any part of the country, provided electoral laws are followed.
The exchange highlights early friction as political formations begin recalibrating alliances and strategies ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Analysts note that the debate over political “strongholds” has long shaped coalition negotiations in Kenya, often determining the success or collapse of pre-election pacts.