KENYA President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga have officially signed a political cooperation deal, aiming to stabilise the government after months of unrest. The agreement, announced on Friday, seeks to address key national challenges, including economic instability, youth dissatisfaction, and corruption.
The move follows a tumultuous period for Ruto’s administration, which has faced backlash over controversial tax hikes and unfulfilled campaign promises. According to a report by AFP, political analysts suggest that the alliance could be an attempt to salvage Ruto’s presidency ahead of the 2027 elections.
A response to mounting pressure
Ruto’s popularity has waned following mass youth-led protests against proposed tax increases, which resulted in at least 60 deaths, according to rights groups. The unrest forced the president to form a broader government, integrating members of Odinga’s party in a bid to ease tensions.
On Friday, the two leaders formalised their alliance, with Odinga stating that the pact aimed ‘to help ease the prevailing tension in the country’. He added, ‘We agree to embark on steps to realign the country’s economic, social and political priorities to address the youth agenda.’
Ruto described the partnership as ‘a path to the promised land where freedom and opportunity is guaranteed for all.’ However, frustrations among Kenya’s youth—who make up 80 percent of the population—remain high.
Criticism and political fallout
While Ruto and Odinga insist that their deal is not a full coalition, some analysts view it as a strategic move to strengthen Ruto’s re-election chances. Political analyst Barrack Muluka told AFP, ‘Everything that could go wrong in government has gone wrong, the promises that he made are not being fulfilled.’
Muluka suggested that if Odinga had remained in opposition, he could have ‘caused untold challenges’ for Ruto’s administration. Others argue that the deal undermines Kenya’s opposition. Political commentator Kaburu Kinoti noted that Ruto’s fallout with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had weakened his government’s standing in parliament.
‘The oversight role that is supposed to be done… has completely been compromised,’ Kinoti told AFP, adding that parliament was now ‘dead’.
A familiar political strategy?
This is not the first time Odinga has aligned with a sitting government. In 2018, he famously struck a truce with then-President Uhuru Kenyatta in the widely known ‘handshake’ agreement, which Ruto—then deputy president—strongly criticised.
While Ruto and Odinga present their new alliance as a means to address Kenya’s pressing challenges, critics argue that it is more about securing political survival. As Kenya navigates its economic and political uncertainties, the impact of this deal on governance and opposition politics remains to be seen
