NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 10 — Kenya Kwanza and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) have formed a 10-member team to draft a joint manifesto ahead of the 2027 General Election, marking a major step towards formalising their political partnership.
President William Ruto announced the formation of the joint manifesto team during the Joint Broad-Based Alliance Parliamentary Group and Governors Retreat in Naivasha.
The team will bring together five representatives from each political formation and is expected to develop a common programme that will form the basis of the coalition’s campaign for the 2027 elections.
“Accordingly, we have agreed to establish a joint team comprising five members from each party to develop a common manifesto that we shall place before the Kenyan people in the 2027 election,” Ruto said.
ODM has nominated Isaac Wanuge, Mariam Mbaruk, Leonida Kerubo and Prof. Benard Muok, with the party’s Executive Director serving as an ex-officio member.
Kenya Kwanza has nominated Emmanuel Zai, Dr Daniel Muay, Bramwell Simeu, Mohamed Hassan and Dr Sicilian, with the UDA Executive Director serving as an ex-officio member.
The team will be expected to translate the political partnership between the two formations into a shared policy agenda, outlining their priorities for the next phase of Kenya’s development.
Ruto said the manifesto would go beyond being a campaign document and would incorporate ideas and priorities raised by Kenyans through national consultations.
“Their task is not simply to produce a political document. The manifesto will draw from our shared values and priorities while being informed by the aspirations, ideas and priorities expressed by Kenyans,” he said.
The President said the team would also draw from the national conversation on Kenya Beyond Vision 2030 and the National Development Charter expected to emerge from the process.
The manifesto is expected to focus on the coalition’s proposed agenda for the country beyond the 2027 election, with Ruto saying political parties seeking the electorate’s mandate must explain not only what they have achieved but also where they intend to take the country.
“No election can be fought on past achievements alone. Those who seek your mandate as the people of Kenya must also tell you where they intend to take this country tomorrow,” Ruto said.
He said the joint platform would seek to consolidate what the administration considers progress made under the Kenya Kwanza government while completing reforms that are already underway.
“This formalizes the political partnership we have built and gives it a clear mandate to consolidate the progress we have made, carry the reforms underway to completion, and present to the people of Kenya a common program for the next phase of our national transformation,” he said.
The team will now begin the process of crafting the document that the coalition intends to present to voters as its programme for the next phase of national development.
