An Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party meeting that was to be chaired by former President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday aborted after Mr Raila Odinga’s ODM boycotted it.
The Azimio council meeting was scheduled to begin at 4pm but instead ODM members convened a press conference at 1pm at which they strongly warned against any attempt to topple Mr Odinga as the Azimio party leader.
Mr Kenyatta, who is Azimio party council chairman, was to lead a physical meeting in Nairobi but since he was not available he opted for a Zoom meeting.
Representatives of major parties affiliated to the coalition party including Wiper, Jubilee, DAP-K, Kanu and PNU were on hand.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka (left), ODM leader Raila Odinga (centre) and Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua during a media briefing at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation Center in Nairobi on May 1, 2023.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Only Ms Martha Karua’s Narc-Kenya that has since initiated a process to exit from the outfit and ODM had not confirmed participation.
But hours to the Zoom meeting, the other affiliate parties were stunned to get wind of the hard hitting news conference in which ODM officials led by chairperson Gladys Wanga said they were not aware of the Azimio meeting and warned against any attempts to oust Mr Odinga from the coalition party’s leadership.
ODM insisted only the Azimio council secretary general Junet Mohammed had the powers to convene the meeting.
But DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa, who was among those to attend Mr Kenyatta’s meeting, insisted Mr Odinga and Mr Mohammed were privy to the meeting which would imply ODM snubbed it.
Mr Wamalwa told Nation the meeting planned on Monday failed to take-off after ODM pre-empted it with the news conference disowning the meeting despite the party being invited.
“This afternoon (Monday) we were scheduled to have an Azimio council meeting chaired by Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta. We had all been invited and the meeting was to start at 4pm. But our colleagues in ODM did convene their own press conference in which they issued a strongly worded statement declaring their position on the Azimio council,” Mr Wamalwa said.
“Consequently, the meeting that was to be convened to address our coalition issues was overtaken by events and will therefore not be taking place. What this means is that the parties will now be left to make their own decisions as ODM has,” he added.
At the news conference, ODM stirred the hornets’ nest in the opposition coalition, warning against any attempt to topple the opposition chief from its leadership.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka during a press conference at SKM Command Centre in Nairobi Karen on July 25, 2024.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka first revealed plans to have the meeting chaired by Mr Kenyatta on the back of disquiet within the opposition following the appointment to Cabinet of five ODM members.
“We expect retired President Uhuru Kenyatta who doubles as the Azimio la Umoja chairperson to convene a meeting so we can openly discuss the issues rocking the coalition,” Mr Musyoka said.
Mr Musyoka’s allies have since called for the reorganisation of the coalition’s leadership to have him replace Mr Odinga, who is also running for the chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), as the Azimio party leader.
ODM members appointed to Cabinet are former Deputy Party Leaders Ali Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya, former National Chairman John Mbadi, former Secretary for Political Affairs Opiyo Wandayi and former member of the party's National Elections Coordinating Committee Ms Beatrice Askul.
But on Monday, Mr Odinga’s ODM insisted that it was not aware of the Azimio council meeting and warned against any bid to dislodge the ODM party leader from the coalition party’s leadership.
Speaking at Chungwa House, Wanga, ODM co-deputy party leader Godfrey Osotsi and Secretary for Political Affairs Rozah Buyu warned their colleagues against acting in bad faith.
“We are not privy to any meeting and our party leader Raila Amolo Odinga is the Azimio coalition leader. Any meeting will have to involve ODM to make any sense,” Ms Wanga said.
From left; Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni, Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, DAP-Kenya party leader Eugene Wamalwa and other Azimio leaders address journalists on June 26, 2024 at SKM Command Centre in Nairobi Karen.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Mr Osotsi accused their coalition partners of missing the point by attempting to convene a meeting without the involvement of the coalition’s Secretary General, Mr Mohamed.
“Convening coalition meeting is the responsibility of Secretary General and Junet has not convened any such meeting. If they proceed to hold any such meeting it will just be a gathering to take tea or a kangaroo meeting and not Azimio meeting,” Mr Osotsi charged.
Osotsi warned of serious consequences should there be attempts to kick out Mr Odinga and ODM from the coalition.
Nation has established that ODM has also hatched a plot to fight back against attempts to “blackmail us in the coalition,” by seeking to kick out their Azimio affiliate members holding key positions in parliament.
Mr Osotsi hinted at this plan on Monday, saying any attempt to push ODM out of Azimio will be very detrimental to those pushing that arrangement.
“This is because ODM will still remain a single major party in the opposition based on the numbers we have in the National Assembly and Senate.
“I advise them to read the standing order of both Houses and they will discover that maybe only Wiper is a parliamentary party,” Mr Osotsi said.
Currently, ODM holds the National Assembly Minority Leader post under Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, Minority Whip under Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo while Deputy Minority Leader is held by Wiper - Kathiani MP Robert Mbui, with Jubilee holding Deputy Minority Whip under Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje.
In the Senate, Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo (ODM) is the Senate Minority Leader deputized by Enoch Wambua (Wiper).
Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina (ODM) is the Senate Minority Whip and deputized by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna (ODM).
Major parties in the Azimio coalition are; Mr Odinga’s ODM, Mr Musyoka’s Wiper, Mr Kenyatta’s Jubilee, Mr Wamalwa’s DAP-K, former Baringo Senator Gideon Moi’s Kanu as well as ex-Minister Martha Karua’s Narc Kenya.
Ms Karua’s party has however, started the process of leaving the coalition after it wrote to the Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu terming Narc Kenya’s continued stay in the coalition as “untenable”.
Mr Musyoka and Mr Kioni who have been vocal on the need to reorganise the coalition following the move by ODM members to join President Ruto’s cabinet yesterday did not respond to Nation’s inquiries.
On Monday, Mr Osotsi asked Mr Wamalwa to cease his calls for replacement of Mr Odinga with Mr Musyoka as the Azimio leader.
“Eugene shut up. Infact some of your members have declared support for ODM in the House and we are considering to put them in committees. Our members, just like football players have only been loaned to Kenya Kwanza to serve in the cabinet and we have no coalition agreement with Kenya Kwanza,” said Mr Osotsi.
Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc Kenya’s Martha Karua and DAP-K boss Eugene Wamalwa at a past event.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
ODM also told off their coalition affiliate partners for questioning Mr Odinga’s ability and commitment to holding the Kenya Kwanza government to account.
The party on Monday took issue with claims by their partners that Mr Odinga had abandoned his opposition role and was working with President Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration.
"In response to a national emergency and the need to steady the nation, ODM agreed to release, in their individual capacities, the members who had been tapped by the president," Ms Wanga said in reference to the ODM party nominees to President Ruto’s cabinet.
Speaking at Chungwa House, the party officials said ODM will continue to play its minority role alongside other parties to push for accountability, transparency, equity and delivery of services to the people in a cost-effective manner.
“There is no agreement between ODM and Kenya Kwanza that makes the two joint partners in government,” Ms Wanga said.
Mr Musyoka’s troops have backed him for top Azimio position over claims that Mr Odinga had abandoned the opposition.
On Monday, Ms Wanga said Mr Odinga was still in charge of the coalition, insisting that his move to allow some party officials to join President Ruto’s cabinet was “in response to a national emergency and the need to steady the nation.”
“ODM agreed to release, in their individual capacities, the members who had been tapped by the president,” she said.
“Raila has earned his candidacy for AUC chairmanship. We are proud that he has been a leader of our party ODM and our coalition, Azimio. We are grateful to the government of Kenya for standing with him. We are grateful to the many African leaders who are considering him for the position. As a party, we will only be too proud to donate Hon Raila to the continent,” Ms Wanga said.
Ms Buyu told off Mr Kioni against claims that Mr Odinga lied about his sentiments that Mr Kenyatta had informed him to talk to President Ruto to find a solution to the impasse after massive anti-government protests.
“Uhuru is a statesman and can speak to Raila any time he wants. For Kioni to say he never spoke to Raila can only beg the question as to whether he has the capacity to tap calls because Uhuru himself has not denied such a claim,” the Kisumu West MP said.
