Azimio purges dissidents in fresh coalition shake-up

President Uhuru Kenyatta chairs the first Azimio-OKA council meeting at KICC. Looking on are Azimio Executive Council Secretary-General Junet Mohamed (centre) and late ODM leader Raila Odinga. [David Gichuru, Standard]

The Azimio coalition has dropped National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed as leader of its Parliamentary Group, replacing him with Suba South MP Caroli Omondi in the latest reconstitution of its Coalition Council and National Coalition Executive Council.

Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka said Junet's removal stems from his support for the government, a position at odds with the coalition's official stance of opposition to President William Ruto's administration.

The decision, which also targeted other members seen as dissidents, was made at a joint meeting of the two councils held on Monday, March 9.

"The meeting resolved to terminate, with immediate effect, the appointment of Junet Mohamed as the leader of the Azimio Coalition Parliamentary Group in the National Assembly, and appointed Caroli Omondi with immediate effect," Kalonzo said in a statement.

The latest changes follow a major leadership shake-up announced last month by former President Uhuru Kenyatta, in which Kalonzo replaced Raila Odinga as party leader and Omondi took over the Secretary General role from Junet.

Also caught up in Monday's purge are Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and elected leaders who had previously been affiliated with the coalition but have since accepted government appointments or crossed over to support the broad-based administration.

Mining CS Hassan Joho, nominated MP Sabina Chege, Abdi Noor Omar Farah and Junet Mohamed have been removed from the Coalition Council.

Cooperatives CS Wycliffe Oparanya and his Energy counterpart Opiyo Wandayi have been ejected from the National Coalition Executive Council, alongside MPs Adan Keynan, Mishi Mboko, Junet Mohamed, David Pkosing and Senator Abdul Haji.

Principal Secretary Caroline Karugu, Solomon Kuria and Isabella Wangechi have also been shown the door.

Kalonzo said the individuals ceased to be members of the coalition, founded ahead of the 2022 elections, and were therefore unfit to hold any positions within its ranks.

Kenyatta sprung a surprise in February when he announced sweeping changes to the coalition's leadership, signaling a revival of the political vehicle Odinga had used in his last presidential bid but which had largely faded from relevance in the months that followed.

President Ruto has since downplayed the coalition's renewed ambitions, questioning its ability to mount a serious challenge to his 2027 re-election bid.

"You have heard they are reviving the Azimio Coalition to compete with us in the 2027 general election. If I was able to defeat them in the last general election when they had the backing of the state, what makes them think they can defeat me now?" he said.

Meanwhile, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has signaled its intention to exit the coalition amid ongoing talks about a possible alliance with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ahead of the next elections.