“BETTER DEVIL” REMARK: OBURU PUTS ODM-RUTO DEAL IN SPOTLIGHT Naivasha, Kenya.

Speaking during the Joint Broad-Based Coalition Parliamentary Group meeting in Naivasha, Nakuru County, Oburu said the party carefully assessed the political options after missing the presidency and concluded that no one was better than Ruto at the time.

“ODM joined the broad-based government because even if we thought Ruto was a devil, he was a better devil than the others,” Oburu said. He added that after evaluating the landscape, “nobody was better than him.”

The candid and colourful remark immediately placed the ODM-Ruto political arrangement under sharper public scrutiny, coming as leaders from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), ODM and other parties supporting the broad-based government gathered to review their partnership and strategise ahead of the 2027 general election.

Oburu, who took over the leadership of ODM following the death of his brother, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, used the platform to explain the pragmatic calculations that guided the party into government. He noted that ODM had previously been in a handshake arrangement with former President Uhuru Kenyatta that yielded no Cabinet Secretary or Principal Secretary positions, only a promise of the presidency that did not materialise.

“We missed the presidency and we said it is okay, life must move on,” Oburu told the gathering. He described the current relationship with Ruto as an “umbilical cord” that now binds the two sides together, urging leaders to abandon fence-sitting and declare their positions clearly.

“We must urge that let us be straightforward. If you have an issue that you want to raise, raise it honestly. Do not be a fence sitter. Decide where you are because we want to know who is with us and who is not with us,” he said.

The Naivasha meeting, attended by more than 250 Members of the National Assembly, senators, governors, Cabinet secretaries and other senior officials, was co-presided over by President Ruto and Oburu. It comes exactly one year before the August 2027 general election and forms part of efforts to solidify the broad-based arrangement into a more formal political vehicle.



President Ruto earlier in the same meeting had rallied the leaders, insisting that the broad-based side must win the next election “not for our sake but for the sake of Kenyans,” describing the alternative as too dangerous for the country. He also led a minute’s silence in honour of the late Raila Odinga, acknowledging his pivotal role in the formation of the current political understanding.

Oburu’s “better devil” comment stands out for its frankness in a political culture often marked by carefully measured language. It acknowledges past hostility between ODM and Ruto while framing the decision to cooperate as a rational choice based on available alternatives rather than ideological conversion. The remark is likely to fuel debate both within ODM ranks and among critics of the broad-based government who question the party’s shift from opposition to partnership.

The broad-based government emerged from a political agreement reached in 2025 between President Ruto and the late Raila Odinga. It brought previously opposing forces into a working relationship within the Executive and Parliament. ODM leaders have since taken up senior government positions, a development Oburu highlighted as a marked improvement from the earlier handshake era under Uhuru Kenyatta.



Oburu also used the occasion to reaffirm ODM’s decision not to field a presidential candidate in 2027, instead backing Ruto for a second term. He has previously indicated that other positions, particularly the deputy presidency, remain negotiable. In earlier remarks, he had openly expressed interest in the number two slot, asking rhetorically whether he did not deserve it.

The Naivasha retreat is expected to address several sensitive issues, including the implementation of the 10-point agenda that underpinned the original Ruto-Odinga understanding, legislative priorities, inter-party affairs and the possible formalisation of a coalition structure ahead of the elections. Some leaders have spoken of forming a team to spearhead pre-coalition negotiations.

For ODM, the meeting represents an opportunity to assert its continued relevance and extract clearer terms of engagement. For Ruto and UDA, it offers a chance to lock in the support of a major political formation and present a united front against a potential opposition challenge.

Oburu’s choice of words is likely to dominate political conversation in the coming days. Supporters may interpret the “better devil” framing as honest political realism an admission that power involves imperfect choices. Critics, both inside and outside ODM, may see it as confirmation that the partnership was driven more by calculation than conviction, raising questions about its durability once electoral pressures intensify.

The veteran politician, who has long been regarded as a steadying influence within ODM, appeared determined to draw a clear line. By urging leaders to stop fence-sitting, he signalled that the period of ambiguity is ending and that those within the broad-based fold must fully commit or declare themselves.

As the Naivasha meeting continues, the focus will remain on whether the frank discussions can translate into stronger organisational cohesion, clearer power-sharing arrangements and a shared strategy capable of delivering electoral success in 2027. Oburu’s memorable characterisation of the decision to join Ruto has ensured that the terms of the ODM-Ruto deal are now firmly in the national spotlight.

The coming months will test whether the “better devil” assessment holds as the country moves closer to the next general election and the political costs and benefits of the arrangement become clearer to all sides.