President William Ruto’s cosy relationship with his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta, the chairman of the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition’s top decision-making organ – the Council – appears to have driven the final nail in the coffin of the opposition alliance.
The involvement of Mr Kenyatta in the broad-based government, coming months after Azimio 2022 presidential candidate Raila Odinga entered into a similar deal with the President, has exposed the opposition’s soft underbelly.
With Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua – Mr Odinga’s running mate in 2022 – triggering an exit clause from the coalition, and other affiliate parties thinking of following suit, Azimio is a limping force.
Last week, Dr Ruto nominated Mr Kenyatta’s allies to the Cabinet and other plum state positions. Former Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe will head the Agriculture docket while former Nakuru governor Lee Kinyanjui will be the Investment, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary if approved by the National Assembly.
Other Kenyatta allies who made it to the government are former Laikipia governor Ndiritu Muriithi and former Senate deputy speaker Kembi Gitura.
Mr Muriithi was named Kenya Revenue Authority Board chairman while Mr Gitura will head the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital Board.
Former Murang’a governor Mwangi wa Iria and ex-Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, who supported Mr Odinga in the last election, also landed board chair positions.
Mr Odinga’s allies who secured Cabinet slots in July are then-ODM deputy party leaders Hassan Joho (Blue Economy), Wycliffe Oparanya (Co-operatives), ODM chairman John Mbadi (Treasury), secretary of political affairs Opiyo Wandayi (Energy), and member of the party’s elections board Beatrice Askul was given the East African Community CS slot.
Prof Oloo has been Mr Odinga’s adviser for years, playing important roles in his presidential campaigns. He also served in the National Dialogue Committee technical team.
The close association of President Ruto and the Azimio bigwigs has left the coalition exposed, signalling its end ahead of the 2027 elections.
“The purpose of Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition changed when my former leader – I say former because I’m no longer in that coalition – Raila Odinga and his party went to the government. Though they deny it, it is obvious that they are in government. He is being supported by the government for African Union Commission chairman role,” she said.
“It is his right. But because Narc-K does not want to be part of the government, we can no longer remain in Azimio. You can see that the mouthpiece of William Ruto is mainly (Hassan) Joho and Junet (Mohamed).”
“We cannot be in a coalition that no longer serves the people. We need to defend the rights of the people and call the Ruto regime to account. You can’t do that with one leg in the government and one leg out,” Ms Karua said.
According to the Narc-K boss, Mr Odinga and his brigade betrayed the Gen Z cause by joining the Kenya Kwanza administration following the anti-Finance Bill, 2024 countrywide demonstrations by young Kenyans.
“They feel Raila betrayed them. I also feel betrayed. Some observers say Raila could not have betrayed Gen Zs because he was not part of them. When we declare or become opposition leaders, we owe Kenyans a certain duty,” she said. “Whether or not we are in the Gen Z movement, leaders have a duty to protect and stand with the people.”
The Narc Kenya leader said she felt betrayed by Mr Odinga “but we grant him his right to also do what he wishes, and we too have our right, and that is why we withdrew”.
She added that the line between the opposition and the Kenya Kwanza administration is being blurred by the insistence of Mr Odinga that his party is still in the opposition.
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, however, says whereas Kenya needs a strong opposition to keep the government in check, Dr Ruto’s decision to reach out to Azimio bigwigs is for the sake of peace and unity.
“President Ruto and former president Kenyatta are leaders. We need to move politics away from animosity and focus on matters that affect Kenyans,” Ms Waiguru said.
She added that Dr Ruto is right to reach out to Mr Kenyatta for advice on governance and how to address the challenges he faces.
“Uhuru has the experience. He went through a lot as president. When you are president, you need to seek counsel from your peers and predecessors. You need those who have gone ahead of you for guidance,” she said.
“It is good that he reached out to Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga. Any leader at whatever level should do that. We must learn to put our differences aside,” the former Council of Governors chairperson told the Nation .
With Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga on the President’s side, and Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka – who was the Azimio prime minister-designate – and Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) chief Eugene Wamalwa also hinting at taking another route, the coalition, like others before it, has no future.
“A good thing always gives way to a better one. What we are thinking about is a better idea. We are looking ahead and are consulting widely,” Mr Musyoka said.
He, however, added that Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya should not be written off yet, saying it could be part of a future alliance.
“I ask journalists not to bury Azimio before it is actually dead. If we come up with a new outfit, it could even incorporate Azimio,” the Wiper party leader said.
Mr Musyoka’s camp has ditched the Azimio name, using a new title: “Peoples’ loyal Opposition”.
Mr Wamalwa says DAP-K has also initiated the process of exiting Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya, adding that remaining in the alliance is no longer tenable.
“It is like being in a relationship with people who are not like-minded,” said Mr Wamalwa, the former Defence Cabinet Secretary.
Mr Omondi K’Oyoo, the Secretary-General of the National Liberal Party (NLP), an affiliate of Azimio, said the outfit stands for a “pro-people opposition”.
“For constructive and quality debates on policy alternatives, as well as providing oversight on the ruling party, the opposition must be credible, reliable, incorruptible and pro people,” he said.
The looming death of Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya became clear when 11 of its affiliate parties convened a meeting at the Peter Munya-led Party of National Unity (PNU) headquarters in Nairobi on September 20 to explore mass exit from the coalition.
“Ladies and gentleman, we have begun talks on what next for the Azimio coalition, the pros and cons of remaining in the coalition, and even the possibilities of forming a new mid-term alliance,” read a notice sent to the affiliates by acting PNU Secretary-General Frank Walukwe ahead of the meeting.
“It is time we pursued this conversation. In this regard, and should you allow me, I propose to host you all on Friday September 20, 2024 at the PNU headquarters in Lavington from 10am. Come and let us start this honest conversation.”
An official of one of the Azimio affiliates confirmed attending the meeting where discussions on coalition matters took place.
“About one month ago, the Azimio affiliates met at the PNU headquarters and considered supporting Mr Munya as our coalition leader. Talks on whether to exit Azimio en masse or organise a coup within are still ongoing,” the official told the Nation .
“Every country requires a strong opposition to play the oversight role. With the broad-based government, the opposition needs to sit down and reorganise. It is important that this country has a functioning and effective opposition,” the Kirinyaga county boss said.
Ms Karua said she has many options and that there are progressive leaders she is ready to work with in the opposition.
“There are very many Kenyans we can team up with. We in Narc Kenya have an open mind and this is a time for every party to develop itself,” she said.
“Narc-K, for instance, is rebranding and amending its constitution to even put term limits for the leader. That means I won’t be able to vie as party leader in the next election. That, however, does not stop me from running for the country’s presidency.”
According to Ms Karua, former Makueni governor Kivutha Kibwana, former Trade minister Mukhisa Kituyi and ex-Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando “are some of the leaders with whom we agree”.
“We will continue working with progressive people to liberate Kenya. I have said we must work hard and thwart William Ruto’s graduation into a despot because he is a (Yoweri) Museveni apprentice,” Ms Karua told the Nation .
