President William Ruto has issued a strong call for an immediate ceasefire among politicians, warning that escalating verbal exchanges pose a significant risk of fostering disunity among their supporters. With political temperatures steadily rising ahead of the next year's elections, the President urged all elected leaders and aspiring political candidates to prioritize national unity above divisive rhetoric. He delivered this message during an interdenominational church service held in Chesombur, West Pokot County, on Sunday, January 4, 2026. President Ruto emphasized the need to move away from politics driven by anger and hate, stating, "Let's end this anger. I see a leader pointing an accusing finger at the other, while another wants to gouge out the other’s eyes. An eye for an eye makes us all blind. Let us stop this politics of hate and anger that divides Kenya. We should look for a formula to unite them."

These presidential sentiments come amidst a backdrop of fierce public disputes, notably between Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohamed. Their disagreement primarily revolves around the circumstances surrounding the late Raila Odinga’s defeat in the 2022 presidential run. Senator Sifuna, speaking at the burial of Embakasi North James Gakuya’s mother in Murang’a, alleged that Junet mismanaged funds allocated for the procurement of Odinga's agents. He claimed this mismanagement jeopardized efforts to secure their party leader's votes, stating, "You pocketed Uhuru’s (Kenyatta) money instead of using it to pay the agents and let Wamunyoro (Rigathi Gachagua) camp beat us. We are now out in the cold. If not for you, Junet, we would have formed the government."

However, Suna East MP Junet Mohamed vehemently dismissed Sifuna's accusations. Junet countered by insisting that former President Uhuru Kenyatta was the real saboteur of Odinga's campaign, describing it as a "long con" despite Kenyatta's public declarations of support. According to Junet, Mr. Kenyatta deliberately channeled the said funds to his brother, Muhoho Kenyatta, bypassing the official Azimio coalition structures. Junet called for transparency from all parties involved, stating, "I call upon Uhuru Kenyatta, Muhoho Kenyatta, Patrick Mburu, and Senator Edwin Sifuna to come clean. Kenyans deserve the truth about the handling of agents’ money; who controlled it, who mishandled it, and then decide who cost us the election."

Further complicating the political landscape, ODM, which currently operates as a broad-based government partner with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), is grappling with an internal fallout. This internal strife intensified after reports emerged of ongoing talks that could lead to ODM supporting President Ruto’s re-election bid in 2027. Within the party, Junet Mohamed has aligned himself with a faction that supports party leader Oburu Oginga and a potential union with the president. Conversely, Edwin Sifuna is associated with a faction that opposes any alliance with the government. Both factions have resorted to accusing each other of attempting to "auction" the party to either President Ruto or former President Kenyatta.

Simultaneously, a separate political battle is unfolding for control of the vote-rich Central region, marked by a growing rivalry between former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria.