Azimio la Umoja chiefs will meet to tame discord

President Uhuru Kenyatta greets ODM Leader Raila Odinga as Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka looks on after Raila was unveiled as the coalition flag bearer during the Azimio Coalition rally held at Jacaranda Grounds in Embakasi, Nairobi on March 12, 2022. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

The three Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya principals President Uhuru Kenyatta, ODM leader Raila Odinga and Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka are handling the looming implosion occasioned by mistrust and wrangling.

The Azimio Secretariat Executive Director Raphael Tuju says talks are at an advanced stage and communication will be issued soon.

There has been disquiet in the 26 party coalitions after OKA wrote a letter to the Registrar of Political Parties seeking to stop registration of the coalition.

Speaking after a consultative meeting with the 22 secretary generals of affiliate parties under the alliance in Nairobi yesterday, Mr Tuju said the letter will not be revoked, but action will be taken to address the issues raised.

Mr Tuju said: “We will resolve the matter. How it will be resolved, we’ll leave the details to the team in the coalition... There is no cause for alarm.”

OKA, which brings together Mr Musyoka, United Democratic Party’s Mr Cyrus Jirongo and Kanu chairman Mr Gideon Moi is seeking to halt registration of the coalition until certain issues are ironed out. “Our objection is premised on the fact that three issues have not been agreed upon and are to be deliberated and agreed upon before the agreement is fully registered. These are as follows: The number of caucuses; these had been agreed as three on April 1 and presented as four on April 9,” reads the petition.

Three issues OKA wants addressed include the running mate position. 

Maendeleo Chap Chap party leader Dr Alfred Mutua added a new twist to the matter when he declared that he was fit to be Mr Odinga’s running mate.

Some Jubilee party leaders have said the running mate must come from Mt Kenya region. Nakuru Governor Mr Lee Kinyanjui said last weekend: “We are not blind followers; the region of Mt Kenya expects nothing short of the deputy president. It doesn’t matter which part of the region the leader will come from.”

Other leaders from the region insist they need to know their share in the next government should they fail to secure the position of the second in command. The OKA team also argued that a new coalition agreement had been deposited at the Registrar of Political Parties, which they fear could jeopardize their interests in the coalition.

The parties also argued that there was a hidden agenda to change an original agreement signed by three caucuses to include a fourth caucus without the consent of all parties.

OKA could be referring to a fourth leg that is being demanded by Dr Mutua’s Mwamko Mpya, formed by seven small parties within the coalition, to be within the big brothers. They are Maendeleo Chap Chap, Democratic Action Party-Kenya, Chama Cha Uzalendo, Kenya Reform Party, Narc and Maendeleo Democratic Party.