President William Ruto is leading senior leaders from the Kenya Kwanza and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) camps in a three-day broad-based parliamentary retreat in Naivasha as the political alliance begins laying the groundwork for the 2027 General Election.
The meeting brings together more than 250 members of Parliament alongside senior government and party officials, making it one of the broadest political gatherings since President Ruto and the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga entered into a working partnership.
The retreat comes exactly one year before Kenyans are expected to return to the ballot and is being used by the political leadership to review the government’s performance, discuss unfinished business and chart the next phase of cooperation between UDA and ODM.
Why the Naivasha meeting matters
The broad-based government was established following the March 2025 political agreement between Ruto and Raila, bringing together leaders who had previously been on opposite sides of the political divide.
Ruto told leaders at the meeting that the broad-based arrangement had grown into the country’s largest political formation after the grand coalition government formed following the 2007-2008 post-election crisis.
He urged those attending to appreciate the significance of the decisions they would make during the retreat, saying the future direction of the country would be influenced by the outcome of their discussions.
The meeting also comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 election, with both UDA and ODM expected to negotiate how they will work together going into the polls.
Government record on the agenda
One of the central issues at the retreat is the performance of the broad-based administration.
Ruto used his opening remarks to defend his government’s record, listing agriculture, education, healthcare, savings, access to credit and affordable housing among areas where he said the administration had made progress.
He particularly highlighted reforms in agriculture, including fertiliser subsidies, farmer registration, efforts to address cartels, improved prices and the opening of new markets.
The President also pointed to progress in education, saying the government had increased the number of teachers and classrooms while addressing challenges surrounding learner funding and the curriculum.
On healthcare, he said more Kenyans had been brought under the Universal Health Coverage programme and that health facilities were receiving funding through the Social Health Authority.
Ruto also cited increased National Social Security Fund savings and expanded access to credit as evidence of what he described as improvements under his administration.
The 10-point agenda
The leaders are also expected to review the implementation of the 10-point agenda that formed part of the political understanding between Ruto and Raila.
The agenda was intended to provide a framework for cooperation between the two political formations and included issues around national unity, economic growth, governance, electoral reforms and development.
With the 2027 election approaching, the Naivasha retreat provides an opportunity for the two sides to assess what has been achieved and what remains outstanding.
The meeting is also expected to examine areas where legislation is required before the end of the current administration’s first term.
UDA and ODM begin shaping 2027 strategy
The political dimension of the retreat is equally significant.
Ruto has told members of the broad-based team that they must work together to win the 2027 election, arguing that the opposition does not have a clear alternative agenda for the country.
He described the broad-based coalition as a major political force and warned leaders that they carried a responsibility to protect the gains made under the arrangement.
ODM, meanwhile, is entering the discussions with its own expectations.
ODM leader Oburu Oginga has indicated that the party intends to support Ruto’s presidential bid but wants other positions to be negotiated, including the Deputy President position.
Oburu has also spoken about the difference between ODM’s previous political arrangement with former President Uhuru Kenyatta and its current partnership with Ruto.
These questions could become increasingly important as the two sides move from cooperation in government towards negotiations over the 2027 election.
A year to the 2027 election
The timing of the Naivasha retreat gives the meeting added political significance.
With one year remaining before the scheduled August 2027 General Election, the broad-based leadership is under pressure to demonstrate what the partnership has delivered while also presenting a united political strategy to voters.
The retreat therefore combines government business with political planning.
Leaders are expected to discuss development priorities, economic growth, job creation, public service delivery, infrastructure and the implementation of government programmes during the remaining period of the administration.
The discussions could also determine how UDA and ODM structure their cooperation as the election approaches, including the question of political positions and the eventual presidential campaign.
For Ruto, the meeting provides an opportunity to rally his parliamentary support base and defend his administration’s record.
For ODM, it offers a platform to negotiate its role in the political arrangement and establish what it expects in return for backing Ruto in 2027.
The outcome of the Naivasha retreat could therefore provide an early indication of how the broad-based government intends to approach the final year before the next General Election.
