Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, flanked by Jubilee Party Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni and other Azimio leaders address journalists at SKM Command Centre in Nairobi Karen on July 25, 2024.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his colleagues in the Azimio coalition have dismissed claims that they are warming up to President William Ruto’s administration even as it emerged that they could not agree on the two slots still up for grabs in the government.
Speaking on Thursday (July 25) at the SKM centre in Karen, Mr Kalonzo, who was accompanied by Jubilee party Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni and former Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa, the party leader of Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya (DAP-K), said that chances that they will join the government are zero.
“We are not interested in joining this (Kenya Kwanza) administration,” Mr Kalonzo said, a position that was shared by Mr Kioni and Mr Wamalwa.
On Wednesday, President Ruto nominated four ODM politicians among them two sitting MPs to his Cabinet, a move that was dismissed by the other Azimio parties as an attempt to muzzle the alternative voice. ODM is also an affiliate of Azimio.
Those nominated include Leader of Minority in the National Assembly and Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi, nominated MP John Mbadi and immediate former county governors Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) and Ali Hassan Joho (Mombasa).
Though ODM has approved their nomination, its affiliates in Azimio were quick to accuse the President of raiding the opposition for selfish gain.
At the SKM centre on Thursday, Mr Kioni noted that killing the opposition is something the current administration has been working on for “quite some time.”
“This regime is keen to silence the opposition inside and outside Parliament. Its political cannibalism offends the National Dialogue Committee report that is before Parliament and as always, we will continue to say Ruto must go,” said Mr Kioni.
Mr Kioni also termed the President’s overtures to Azimio an existential threat to democracy.
But even as ODM members in Azimio accused Mr Odinga's party of accepting the nomination of their members to the Cabinet, Nation understands that Mr Oparanya was sent to the SKM centre on Thursday to inform them that the President was still expecting two nominees from Azimio.
While picking the nominees, President Ruto left out the nominee for the East African Community position and that of the Attorney-General position.
Nation is also informed that Mr Kalonzo was receptive to the EAC Cabinet position as Mr Kioni, a lawyer, was proposed for the Attorney-General position.
The EAC slot was occupied by Ms Peninah Malonza before the president dissolved the cabinet.
“The disagreements crept in after Mr Kalonzo appeared receptive for the CS position,” an MP who attended the meeting said.
Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya of PNU, Mr George Wanjakoya of Roots Party and Mr Raphael Tuju, were among those who were present at the SKM centre but left without a word just before Mr Kalonzo addressed the journalists.
But Mr Kalonzo would later say that he had neither been offered nor accepted a cabinet slot. “Nobody has offered me or Wiper any position in government. It is a mirage. I have been a vice president and I don’t think I can serve under President Ruto,” said the Wiper leader.
But when asked whether Mr Oparanya had been sent to go and dangle the two slots, he said; “that is something for Mr Oparanya to explain.”
Mr Oparanya did not respond to our inquiries sent to his known phone number. Mr Kioni also dismissed the notion of the other Azimio parties joining the government.
“Anybody joining Ruto has endorsed the killing and maiming of Kenyans. Those joining Ruto are doing so in their capacity. Kenyans have rejected Ruto with his government,” said Mr Kioni in an apparent hit at Mr Odinga.
Mr Wamalwa said that the overtures to join the government were only offered to ODM and not the other Azimio parties.
“Azimio is intact and we are together against the failed regime,” said the DAP-K leader.
On Thursday, Mr Odinga’s ODM party, in a statement, maintained that neither the party nor Azimio has entered into any coalition agreement with President Ruto’s UDA party.
“While we extend our best wishes to the nominees and trust that they will contribute positively to national development, we continue to advocate for a national engagement under the conditions we have previously outlined,” Mr Odinga said in a statement a day after his four ODM members were nominated for CS slots.
This even as he noted that ODM had anticipated the crafting of clear terms of engagement based on issues “we raised in our previous communiques.”
The issues ODM had wanted addressed include compensation to the families of the victims of extra-judicial executions and persons injured by the state since last year as well as release of those held in custody and termination of all cases related to protests since last year.
ODM had also pushed for the prosecution of the policemen involved in shooting to kill or maiming protestors.
Mr Odinga also noted that ODM remains steadfast in upholding its fundamental principle of democracy, good governance and social justice.
“These principals shall at all times guide our actions and decisions as we strive for the betterment of our nation.”
