Former
President
Uhuru Kenyatta
and Wiper
leader Kalonzo
Musyoka during
a tour of the
Olusegun
Obasanjo
Presidential
Library in
Abeokuta, Ogun
State, Nigeria
/HANDOUT
ODM has moved to block the takeover of the Azimio by ex-President Uhuru Kenyatta and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, in what is emerging as a battle for plum parliamentary jobs.
The Star has established that the Orange party has written to Registrar of Political Parties John Cox protesting the changes that could sideline some party members loyal to President William Ruto.
The Azimio Council, chaired by Uhuru on Tuesday, elevated Kalonzo as the new Azimio la Umoja Coalition Party leader.
The changes also saw National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohammed kicked out from the leadership of Raila Odinga’s 2022 political machine.
The Suna East MP was replaced by Suba South MP Caroli Omondi. The changes were communicated to the Registrar the same day.
Sources said the Uhuru/Kalonzo camp is preparing a counter-offensive by writing to the speakers of both houses of Parliament, pushing for the removal of parliamentary leaders perceived to be leaning towards Ruto.
The plan, according to sources, targets pro-Ruto figures holding Azimio-linked leadership slots in Parliament.
Tellingly, Democratic Party (DP) leader Justin Muturi on Wednesday hinted at a purge in the leadership of both houses of Parliament to give Azimio its rightful share.
“I applaud the resilience of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition for standing the test of time amid the deliberate bastardisation of our multiparty democracy,” Muturi said.
“Going forward, political parties wishing to enter or exit coalitions must do so within the law and through the relevant party organs.”
“Azimio La Umoja must be respected as the official opposition coalition, and those who sit in the Minority of the House courtesy of the coalition can be de-whipped for fraternising with the Kenya Kwanza regime.”
It is this realisation that has seen ODM move to stall the changes from being effected by the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties.
“I am certain the ODM letter has landed on the desk of the Registrar,” a highly placed source told the Star.
Currently, Azimio has Junet as Minority leader deputised by Kathiani MP Robert Mbui in the National Assembly.
Suba North North MP Millie Odhiambo is the Minority Whip deputised by Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje.
In the Senate, the coalition is led by Kilfi Senator Stewart Madzayo as the Minority leader with Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua deputising him.
Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina is the Minority Whip, deputised by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.
The leaders are entitled to extra package and additional staff including high-end vehicles for their daily operations.
Uhuru latest interest in reviving Azimio is also seen as a strong signal that he has settled on Kalonzo for 2027, a move which marks ‘season two’ battle with his successor.
Political analyst Martin Andati argues the move is a clear signal that Uhuru has settled on Kalonzo and is slouching for a round-two fight with Ruto.
“Kalonzo is the candidate, they have done a lot of internal opinion polls. The other time, Uhuru was with Kalonzo in Nigeria trying to introduce him to international networks and for resource mobilisation,” Andati said.
The move paints the fourth President as keen on settling scores after losing the 2022 election despite throwing his full weight behind Raila against his then deputy.
The retired President unsuccessfully pushed for late Raila’s candidature but was overrun by Ruto, who won with 200,000 votes.
Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula told the Star that the former President is yet to forgive Ruto and is going flat-out to deny him a second term.
“Uhuru is out to destabilise the government of Ruto, he is strategising for a round two war with Ruto,” Savula said on the phone.
He however said it will be a tall order for Uhuru to challenge Ruto in 2027 having failed in 2022 when he had the state machinery.
“He (Uhuru) will be in for a rude shock. We are starting countrywide engagements soon, we are going to deal with him,” Savula said.
As part of his tools in the new push, Uhuru is reviving Azimio as a vehicle to counter Ruto’s growing influence, while simultaneously seeking to weaken the ruling alliance from within.
Central to this strategy, insiders claim, is the quiet infiltration of ODM structures and the cultivation of dissent against emerging cooperation between ODM and Ruto’s UDA.
There have been complaints within ODM that Uhuru is working with some of the party’s leaders to oppose any formal ODM-UDA deal.
These claims gained traction after Uhuru recently picked an ODM MP Omondi to join Azimio’s top leadership, a decision that fueled talk of a broader political chess game.
Last year, Junet confessed that some ODM insiders confessed to him of Uhuru’s plans to inject huge cash in the outfit if they will abandon Ruto and cross to the opposition.
‘We have a very good plan. Uhuru wants to help us in our ODM party. He is ready to invest over Sh1 billion in our party so that it can become solid and vibrant politically. We shall emerge the winner in the next elections if we join the United Opposition,’” Junet quoted the unnamed official who told him.
Meanwhile, the move to revive Azimio has triggered mixed reactions in the United Opposition house with leaders expressing different opinions.
DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua’s allies however are against the planned Azimio’s revival saying they will not recognise it.
Embakasi North MP James Gakuya dismissed the move as retrogressive and one that must be rejected by the United Opposition as it risks plunging the team into confusion ahead of 2027 general election.
"The United Opposition has no space in Azimio. We cannot recognise it at all, and if we are going to form any coalition moving forward, it shouldn’t be Azimio - we reject it in totality,” Gakuya said.
“Which ODM is Uhuru bringing back to Azimio: the Oburu-ODM faction or the Young Turk faction? Why can’t the ODM youth team find another entity and join the bigger faction of the United Opposition?" he asked.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
Uhuru on Monday chaired a meeting that announced changes in Raila Odinga’s 2022 political machine. The changes targeted ODM leaders leaning towards President William Ruto. ODM has vowed to stop the takeover.
