Azimio leader Raila Odinga (centre) addressing journalists during Azimio Parliamentary Group Presser at Kalonzo Command Centre, Nairobi on April 4, 2023.
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya 2022 presidential running mate Martha Karua will today lead her Narc Kenya party’s National Delegates Convention (NDC) to formally withdraw from the opposition coalition, signalling the impending collapse of the outfit as more affiliate parties plot to exit.
ODM leader Raila Odinga flew the coalition’s flag with Ms Karua as his running mate in the 2022 polls, while former president Uhuru Kenyatta, the Jubilee party leader, serves as its Council chair.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who was the Azimio Prime Minister-designate, and his Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) counterpart Eugene Wamalwa, have also hinted at ditching the coalition, saying they were making wide consultations before the move.
“A good idea always gives way to a better idea. What we are thinking about is a better idea. We are looking ahead and we are very consultative,” Mr Musyoka said.
He, however, warned the media not to write off Azimio just yet, saying that if all goes well it could be part of the new coalition.
“And I want to urge the media not to bury Azimio before it is actually dead and buried. If we come up with a new outfit, it could even incorporate perhaps Azimio itself,” added the Wiper leader.
Mr Musyoka’s camp has, however, ditched using the Azimio name in the past couple of weeks, instead using a new title; “Peoples’ Loyal Opposition”.
On Wednesday, Wiper Secretary-General Shakila Abdalla said: “As things stand now, it is only Martha Karua who has officially commenced Azimio exit, but for us, we shall cross that bridge when we get there.”
Exiting Azimio
“For now we are still in Azimio and even ODM is yet to withdraw from the coalition,” Ms Abdalla said.
But Mr Wamalwa said DAP-K had initiated the process of exiting Azimio, stating that their stay in the coalition is no longer tenable.
“We cannot stay and we no longer find it tenable being in a relationship with people who are no longer like-minded,” he said, in reference to Mr Odinga’s ODM which donated its key members to President William Ruto’s Cabinet.
Already, Ms Karua has convened her party’s NDC at Ufungamano House in Nairobi today to ratify its exit from the coalition.
Narc Kenya’s acting executive director Rosa Wangu signed the notice for the NDC. This follows the party’s notice to exit from the coalition in July.
“Kindly take note that our stay in Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition is not tenable due to the prevailing political developments,” Ms Karua said in a letter addressed to the coalition secretary-general Junet Mohammed by Narc Kenya acting secretary-general Asha Bashir in July.
The Nation established that in a bid to have an outfit that resonates with the current youthful populace, Narc Kenya delegates could also ratify a change of the party’s name.
“There is a need to change to the current times and we will also propose term limit for party leader because we seek to have a more democratic political vehicle that accommodates all,” a party insider said.
Jubilee secretary-general Jeremiah Kioni on Wednesday told Nation that while Mr Kenyatta remains the chairman of the coalition’s top decision-making organ – The Azimio Council – they had since formed opposition with the people of Kenya after ODM’s move to work with the government.
“We belong to the opposition. We have formed opposition with the people - The Peoples’ Loyal Opposition, outside Parliament, but we shall give comprehensive information on the matter of withdrawal from Azimio later,” said Mr Kioni.
National Liberal Party (NLP) Secretary-General Omondi K’Oyoo said that as an affiliate member of the Azimio coalition, the party stands for a more “pro-people opposition”.
“For us to have constructive and quality debates on policy alternatives as well as providing hawk-eyed oversight on the ruling party, the opposition must be credible, reliable, incorruptible and pro-people,” Mr K’Oyoo said.
Mass exit
The looming death of the Azimio coalition became clearer two months ago after at least 11 of its affiliate parties convened a meeting at the Peter Munya-led Party of National Unity (PNU) headquarters on September 20 to explore a mass exit from the alliance.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we had begun talks on what next for the Azimio Coalition, the pros and cons of remaining in the said coalition and even the possibilities of forming a new mid-term coalition.
“I think it’s time we pursued this conversation further. In this regard and should you allow me, I propose to host all of you on Friday the 20th of September, 2024 at the PNU headquarters in Lavington from 10 am. Come one, come all and let us start this honest conversation,” read a notice sent to the Azimio affiliates by acting PNU secretary-general Frank Walukwe ahead of the meeting in September.
An official from one of the affiliate parties on Wednesday confirmed attending the meeting where they discussed the coalition matters.
“About two months ago at least 11 Azimio affiliate parties met at the PNU headquarters and considered supporting Peter Munya as our coalition leader. Talks are still ongoing on whether to exit Azimio en masse or organise a coup within,” the official told the Nation.
He said that members were concerned with the way Mr Odinga’s ODM party was treating other affiliates in terms of the disbursement of political party funds based on the 6.9 million votes he garnered under the coalition in the 2022 presidential election.
“All Azimio parties are entitled to the funds from the Exchequer because we all participated in the mobilisation of the 6.9 million votes Raila secured in the last presidential election,” added the official.
