Inside the Azimio la Umoja political train

To shore up his chances of winning the August 9 presidential election, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) boss Raila Odinga is building an alliance modelled on the National Rainbow Coalition (Narc), which catapulted Mwai Kibaki to State House in 2002.

A new political parties’ law has pushed both Mr Odinga and his main challenger, Deputy President William Ruto, into a cut-throat competition.

Mr Odinga is taking advantage of his 2018 Handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta, which ended months of chaos, to assemble a coalition with parties headed by the Head of State’s allies to outfox DP Ruto, who has a hard-line stance on alliances.

The new law introduces coalition political parties that can conduct joint nominations and support a single presidential candidate while also retaining their different identities, with no need to dissolve into one outfit.

With the ODM boss disclosing that Azimio la Umoja will be registered formally this week, the Nation deduces that more than 12 parties have expressed interest in working with Mr Odinga, who is making a fifth stab at the presidency.

Governors’ parties

Some of those parties are associated with governors, some of whom will retire this year while others will use their outfits to defend their seats.

Among the parties drumming up support for Azimio la Umoja are Jubilee, ODM, Ubuntu People’s Forum (UPF), Muungano Party of Kenya, Kenya Union Party (KUP), the Pamoja African Alliance (PAA), Party of National Unity (PNU), National Rainbow Coalition (Narc), Maendeleo Chap Chap, Upya Movement, Democratic Congress (DC), The New Democrats, and Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K).

While on the campaign trail in Bungoma on Friday, the DP claimed that the new law, signed by President Kenyatta on Thursday, was aimed at shoring up the ODM leader’s presidential ambitions.

“They have passed a law the other day to help one person to con his colleagues politically. If someone can con fellow leaders, will the electorate survive in his hands?” he posed.

Regional kingpins

In 2002, Mr Kibaki relied on regional kingpins to whip up support for his presidential quest, the same script Mr Odinga is utilising.

With his ‘Kibaki Tosha’ declaration that caught some of the coalition partners unawares, Mr Odinga is regarded as one of the key forces behind Mr Kibaki’s presidential victory.

He led the campaigns after Mr Kibaki was involved in a freak road accident that confined him to a wheelchair for several months, including when he took the oath of office.

Through the broad-based alliance that also had the late vice-president Michael Kijana Wamalwa and Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu as original founders alongside Mr Odinga and Mr Kibaki, the team effectively ended Kanu’s 40-year reign.

Azimio la Umoja wants to have as many parties as possible in its camp, said Elizabeth Meyo, spokesperson for Mr Odinga's campaign board.

“We still do not have the exact figure of political parties intending to come aboard the Azimio Movement following the enactment of this (bill) into law,” she said.

“But you are aware that the ‘gather all’ philosophy of our two principals – President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga – means we expect a large array of political formations to join the movement.”

Platform for negotiations

The law, she told the Nation, now provides parties a platform for negotiations before formalising a coalition that will be filed with the Registrar of Political Parties four months to the elections.

“This will be part of the negotiations towards a firm and credible coalition-building process. For now, we encourage all Kenyans of goodwill and political parties to join the movement of unity, equity, justice and economic liberation of all people and register in large numbers as voters to make their stand known,” she said.

Initially, heads of political parties had worried that they would be asked to fold their outfits to form coalitions, as dissolution would make them lose their identities. But now, the law eradicates this fear while opening a fresh window for negotiations and the building of coalitions for the August race.

Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui, the UPF leader, told the Nation that only in Azimio will the interests of parties, especially those from the vote-rich Mt Kenya, be respected, as well as the interests of the region.

“We are firmly in the Azimio network. It is people-friendly and has a clear track record and is sold by credible voices,” he said.

He added: “We feel strongly that national interests are best served under Azimio. Ubuntu is based on social democracy, a philosophy also espoused by Azimio.”

Clear agenda

All governors from Ukambani are fully behind Azimio la Umoja, said Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana, the Muungano Party of Kenya leader. He argued that only the movement has a clear agenda to improve the lives of Kenyans.

“I am fully in Azimio. Some people have been looking down upon us, calling us small parties, but mine is a strong one. No one should ignore these parties – for instance, political clouds are gathering in Ukambani,” Prof Kibwana said.

“I support Raila and Azimio because that is where there are reforms and anyone who believes in reforms … that is why they should invest in it,” he added.

The Azimio movement, said West Pokot Governor Prof John Lonyangapuo, leader of KUP, is the only place where smaller parties are respected and treated fairly without being told to fold.

“We work together in Azimio with parties that subscribe to similar ideals like ours. The new law is very good for our democracy unlike those people who are lying to our people to fold their parties,” he told the Nation.

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani, the leader of the Upya movement, said his party will be in Azimio to champion the interests of pastoral communities.

"We have chosen to be in Azimio and we remain committed to it," he said.

Fielding candidates

The ruling Jubilee Party, which is in talks with ODM, has disclosed that it will not field candidates in regions where ODM is strong, something that Mr Odinga had promised.

“We will not be fielding candidates in Nyanza since Jubilee and ODM are working for a common cause under Azimio la Umoja,” said Jubilee secretary-general Raphael Tuju on Saturday.

“We will only front candidates under Azimio in places where ODM does not have a strong footing. Currently, we are keen on strengthening Azimio that will steer Mr Odinga to the presidency.”

Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria yesterday clarified that he is not in either Azimio or DP Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza, noting that he is in the race for the country’s top seat.

“The Usawa Party is supporting the Usawa Party,” said the governor in a brief response to the Nation.

Nomination rules

Meanwhile, the Azimio la Umoja movement is crafting nomination rules for the anticipated coalition party to forestall disputes ahead of the August 9 General Election.

“Our plan is to bring on board as many parties as possible. A team is in place working on modalities for coordinating that process,” Ms Meyo said in a previous interview with the Nation.

“Another team is working on rules that will govern our nominations in Azimio.”

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