ODM issues formal notice to withdraw from Azimio Coalition

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has formally withdrawn from the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition following a resolution by the National Executive Committee (NEC).

ODM has written to the Secretary General of Azimio and copied the communication to the Registrar of Political Parties, giving a 90-day notice. 

ODM addressed the letter to Junet Mohamed, who was recently replaced by Suba South MP Caroli Omondi in changes that ODM disowned for not being consulted.

“We, the Orange Democratic Movement Party, a constituent party to the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition, hereby give formal notice of intention to withdraw from the coalition pursuant to the resolution of our party's NEC adopted on February 12 2026,” ODM Executive Director Oduor Ongwen’s letter states.

The letter adds, “Invoking Article 22 (1) of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Deed of Agreement dated March 12, 2022, we hereby serve the notice of withdrawal, effective 90 days from the date thereof, subject to any requisite approvals or confirmations by the Registrar of Political Parties under the Political Parties Act, CAP 7D.”

Oduor in the letter received at Junet’s office on February 26, 2026, said that the ODM trusts that necessary administrative and regulatory processes will be undertaken to give full effect to the notice and bring the party’s disengagement from the coalition to its lawful and orderly conclusion.

Azimio Coalition had 22 parties as signatories to the Deed, among them ODM, Wiper, Jubilee, Kanu,  Narc-K (now PLP), UPA, and DAP-K. 

While announcing the move a fortnight ago, ODM accused its coalition partners of breaching the agreement that established the Azimio alliance, prompting the party to take steps to safeguard its independence.

“In light of these sustained breaches and in order to safeguard the integrity, autonomy and strategic direction of ODM, the NEC resolved to initiate the formal process of withdrawal from the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition in accordance with the applicable legal and constitutional provisions,” a statement then read by Deputy Secretary General Catherine Omanyo read in part.

On February 2, 2026, a joint session of the Azimio Coalition Party Council and NEC, chaired by former President Uhuru Kenyatta, made key changes which included naming Omondi as Junet’s replacement.

The meeting also named Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka as Azimio Party Leader in place of late Raila Odinga, while former Nairobi Town Clerk Philip Kisia was appointed as Executive Director.

While ODM dismiss the changes, party leader Oburu Oginga described them as inconsequential, saying ODM, as the largest party, was not consulted, even as President William Ruto scoffed at the move.

"It is our considered position that the ODM Party Leader, an expressly named and key constituent party under the Deed of Agreement, was neither informed nor involved in the purported changes," ODM said in a letter to the Registrar of Political Parties, John Cox Lorianokou.

“Azimio without ODM is dead,” Ruto said while addressing residents in Pipeline, Nairobi, arguing that the opposition outfit had already been decisively defeated in the 2022 General Election.

However, on February 8, Kalonzo accused the Ruto administration of allegedly blocking the effecting of the changes through a gazette notice.

“Kenyans need to know what’s happening. State House has instructed the Government Printer to block publication of Azimio’s legitimate leadership changes in the Kenya Gazette,” Musyoka said.

The Wiper leader accused the government of using state machinery to weaken opposition parties instead of competing on ideas and performance, warning that the move contradicts commitments made during the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) process, where adherence to multiparty democracy was a key agenda item.

“When State House can arbitrarily stop the publication of legally constituted political party leadership, it’s not just Azimio under attack; it’s Kenya’s multiparty democracy itself,” Kalonzo added.