Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo and Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro at a public function in Magarini constituency, Kilifi County. Photo by Ben Okweingoti. 
By Ben Okweingoti
Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo has declared that the Coast region will not return to opposition politics, insisting that the area's leaders have embraced the broad-based government arrangement and are committed to supporting President William Ruto's administration.
Speaking during a political engagement in the region, Madzayo said leaders elected under the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party had joined hands with their counterparts from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) to advance development and economic empowerment initiatives across the Coast.
The senator noted that the six coastal counties of Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu and Taita Taveta have historically been regarded as opposition strongholds since the reintroduction of multiparty politics in 1992, with residents maintaining strong loyalty to ODM leader Raila Odinga.
However, he said the current political arrangement has provided the region with an opportunity to participate directly in government and influence development programmes.
“As the ODM party, we are in the broad-based government together with UDA and, as our party leader Oburu Odinga says, we want power. That is what we want and we will get that through supporting President Ruto,” said Madzayo.
The senator emphasized that while ODM remains the dominant political force in the region, its leaders will continue supporting the government through the party's established structures.
He dismissed attempts by some politicians to create divisions within ODM, urging members to remain patient and united.
“We’ve been outside government as a region for a very long time and an opportunity like this that places us within government is what we have been waiting for. Raila left us in government,” he added.
Madzayo further maintained that the Coast remains firmly an ODM stronghold despite its cooperation with the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Currently, only a handful of elected leaders from the region, led by Nyali MP Mohamed Ali, who was elected on a UDA ticket, have openly opposed the government and President Ruto’s anticipated re-election bid in 2027.
His remarks are expected to fuel ongoing political debate over ODM’s cooperation with the Kenya Kwanza administration as political alignments continue to take shape ahead of the 2027 General Election.
