Opposition leaders, Rigathi Gachagua (DCP), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), and Eugene Wamalwa (DAP-Kenya), during a meeting on Tuesday/ HANDOUTWiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka is seeking to recreate the political formula used by former President Uhuru Kenyatta and the late ODM leader Raila Odinga in the 2022 General Election.
Under the strategy, Kalonzo aims to form a mega coalition political party by bringing together multiple political outfits under one umbrella while allowing individual parties to retain their identities.
The move would effectively isolate President William Ruto and deny him the opportunity to form a formidable alliance with opposition parties.
Kalonzo convened an Azimio Coalition Council meeting on Monday.
Sources said the plan is to rebrand Azimio, as some affiliate parties are uncomfortable with the name, or register a new coalition political party altogether.
"As the party leader [of Azimio], I was given the mandate to engage other like-minded political parties because we all recognise that time is of the essence. We have entered the election year," Kalonzo said.
He revealed that Azimio had already opened talks with several political formations, including Rigathi Gachagua's DCP, Martha Karua's PLP, Eugene Wamalwa's DAP-Kenya and former Chief Justice David Maraga, who has expressed interest in joining the opposition alliance.
The strategy mirrors the political architecture deployed before the 2022 General Election, which nearly defeated President Ruto.
Ahead of that election, Uhuru and Raila built one of the country's largest political alliances in recent history.
They also leveraged their strength in Parliament to amend the Political Parties Act to provide for the formation of coalition political parties.
The legal changes enabled more than 25 political parties to unite under the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition while retaining their individual identities for parliamentary, governor and county races.
The arrangement allowed Raila to contest the presidency on a joint coalition ticket while affiliate parties fielded candidates for other elective positions under their respective party banners.
Under the Political Parties Act, two or more political parties may form a coalition political party before or after an election.
Such a coalition is exempt from some standard registration requirements, including publishing notices of provisional registration in the Kenya Gazette and newspapers inviting public objections.
The provisions were introduced through amendments to the Political Parties Act in 2022 and became central to the formation of Azimio.
Political observers say Kalonzo appears keen to use the same legal framework to consolidate the opposition vote against Ruto.
However, the latest reorganisation within Azimio has sparked a leadership dispute, with the ODM wing of the coalition describing the new officials as imposters.
National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, who maintains he is the coalition's legitimate secretary general, dismissed the changes announced by Kalonzo's team.
"Nothing has ever changed. Whatever they are doing is illegal, null and void. In fact, they are imposters," Junet said.
Following Raila's death last year, the Azimio Council announced sweeping leadership changes that elevated Kalonzo to coalition leader and appointed Suba South MP Caroli Omondi as secretary general in place of Junet.
It remains unclear whether the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties has formally recognised the changes.
Despite the dispute, Azimio leaders insist they are focused on rebuilding the coalition and expanding its membership ahead of the election.
As part of that effort, the coalition has admitted former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i, former Meru Governor Peter Munya and Senator Lenny Kivuti to its National Council, the coalition's top decision-making organ.
Announcing the appointments, Omondi said the coalition had resolved to overhaul its internal structures as part of a wider rebranding programme.
"The council resolved to reorganise the party structures, the various organs of the party, as well as to move forward with the rebranding of the Azimio Coalition," Omondi said.
The council also resolved to invite DAP-Kenya back into the coalition after the party exited Azimio.
According to Omondi, party leader Eugene Wamalwa had indicated that DAP-Kenya was willing to return, subject to completing its internal approval processes.
Azimio has also extended invitations to Umoja na Maendeleo Party and the Democratic Party, with both indicating they would consider joining after consulting their internal organs.
The coalition's latest moves come as opposition leaders continue consultations aimed at producing a single presidential candidate to face President Ruto in 2027.
Although several opposition leaders have declared presidential ambitions, the alliance is yet to settle on either its flagbearer or running mate.
Kalonzo is seen as the leading contender for the flagbearer position, although Gachagua, Sifuna, Wamalwa, Matiang'i and Karua are also seeking the nomination.
Kalonzo dismissed claims that Uhuru was orchestrating the opposition's strategy and campaign against Ruto.
Speaking at the ACK Cathedral in Embu last week, Kalonzo insisted the opposition was independently charting its own political course.
"So do not paint a picture that Uhuru is organising us to face Ruto. We are organising ourselves to face Ruto and nobody will do it for us," Kalonzo said.
He maintained that Uhuru's role as chairperson of the Azimio Coalition Council was limited to strengthening the coalition.
"The meeting Uhuru chairs on Monday is just about moving Azimio forward and not arranging how to tackle Ruto," he said.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
Kalonzo's push to recreate the 2022 Azimio coalition model signals the opposition's belief that a united front offers its best chance of defeating President William Ruto in 2027. By courting multiple parties and influential leaders, the coalition hopes to avoid a fragmented opposition vote.
However, internal leadership disputes, questions over the legitimacy of Azimio's new leadership and competing presidential ambitions could undermine the strategy.
