ODM machine forges Nyanza votes for Ruto

President William Ruto addresses a gathering at Misambi, Homa Bay county, Sept 17, 2026. The ODM political machine is going flat out to marshal the more than 2.3 million votes in former party leader Raila Odinga’s Nyanza political turf in favour of President William Ruto.

The entire party leadership, complete with the region’s political establishment, accompanied Ruto as he combed through four Nyanza counties during a marathon five-day visit.

In a charged and emotional tour, the ODM leadership, led by Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, used all the tricks in the playbook to rally the region behind Ruto.

The central message was that previous governments had deliberately marginalised Nyanza, and that President William Ruto had moved to rewrite the story.