Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Member of Parliament Daniel Manduku has made a bold demand, saying his party will only support President William Ruto’s government if it gets half of the Cabinet and Principal Secretary (PS) positions.

Speaking on Sunday, Manduku said ODM leaders are ready to work with Ruto but want a fair share of government positions.

“What we are asking for is ‘nusu mkate.’ We want half of the Cabinet positions and half of the PS positions, and we will support William Ruto to 2027 and beyond,” Manduku stated.

His remarks come amid ongoing political realignments, with some ODM leaders warming up to Ruto’s administration. This has sparked debate within the party, as ODM leader Raila Odinga has maintained that he is in the opposition and not part of the Kenya Kwanza government.

Manduku’s statement suggests that some ODM MPs are willing to negotiate a power-sharing deal similar to the 2008 Grand Coalition Government between former President Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga. However, it remains unclear whether the government is open to such an arrangement.

Ruto’s administration has been making efforts to attract opposition leaders, with several ODM politicians already pledging loyalty to him. It remains to be seen how ODM’s top leadership will respond to Manduku’s latest demand.