Inside Ruto-Raila’s Demands to MPs

The country is facing the return of the famous ‘grand coalition’ after President William Ruto and Raila Odinga persuaded their Members of Parliament to support key legislative proposals that will shape Ruto’s administration.
In a joint communique signed by Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, Senate Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo, and National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and the Kenya Kwanza government committed to adopting a bipartisan approach in Parliament and county assemblies.
The two parties emphasised that the joint working relationship was open to all political parties which shared their national vision.
Central to the meeting’s outcome was the reaffirmation of the 10-point agenda, which was agreed upon by President William Ruto and Raila Odinga when they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in March 2025.
The two parliamentary teams pledged to ensure implementation of the agenda, whose main focus is economic growth, social justice, job creation, healthcare, education, infrastructure, agriculture, good governance, and the empowerment of youth and women.
The leaders also reiterated their intention to foster reconciliation, dialogue and inclusion among all Kenyans as a cornerstone to strengthen national cohesion.
Another key resolution was a pledge to support mechanisms that would enable appropriate compensation for all valid cases of political violence.
In the statement, the leaders endorsed the role of the Presidential Coordinating Committee, stating that the formation of the body aligned with broader efforts to promote justice and national healing.
Further, the Parliamentary Group also acknowledged Parliament’s role as the people’s institution, pledging to conduct its business guided by accountability and transparency and service delivery to citizens.
“Inspired by the patriotic spirit and nationalism of His Excellency President William Ruto and Right Hon. Raila Odinga, the Kenya Kwanza and ODM parliamentary teams, putting Kenya first, will give all necessary support needed to keep the country united on a progressive path, through consultations,” the statement read.
From the meeting, the two parties also committed to giving legislative backing to the issues outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding and the NADCO Report.
The war against graft also featured prominently during the meeting, with both sides committing to a united effort across all arms of government to safeguard the integrity of public institutions and restore public trust in leadership.
President Ruto, who was present at the event, specifically vowed to crack down on leaders, particularly members of parliament and senators, who have been soliciting and receiving bribes to perform their legislative duties.
Finally, the joint parliamentary group disclosed plans for a retreat, which is set to be held at a later date in 2025. The retreat is aimed at streamlining operations and fostering harmony among members.