The surprise move by former President Uhuru Kenyatta to embark on a major rebranding of the Azimio La Umoja coalition party to present a united opposition against his successor, Dr William Ruto, has added an intriguing twist to the 2027 race.
Known for his deep pockets, the plan involves bankrolling the outfit as well as bringing on board every politician who opposes Dr Ruto's return to State House for another five years, including ODM ‘rebels.’
Another part of the plan is to enlist the support of prominent and wealthy members of the business community with the capacity to bankroll campaigns. Mr Kenyatta was the lynchpin in the creation of Azimio, which unsuccessfully fronted Mr Odinga’s presidential bid in 2022 against UDA’s Dr Ruto. The coalition went into hibernation after Mr Odinga’s ODM party chose to work with UDA in the so-called broad-based government arrangement.
The Nation has obtained details of a meeting chaired by Mr Kenyatta on Monday at the SKM Command Centre in Karen, Nairobi, which has since organised major activities, including forcing leadership changes in the parliamentary minority and reaching out to the late Mr Odinga’s political networks.
The idea is that the former Prime Minister’s supporters could still identify with Azimio in the next elections, while the coalition negotiates with other players, such as the former deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua, of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), to broaden its support base.
Mr Kenyatta is reportedly doing everything he can to ensure there is only one presidential candidate, in order to avoid repeating the mistake made by the opposition in the landmark 1992 elections, when they fielded multiple candidates and consequently handed President Daniel Moi another win when the country seemed poised for change.
The meeting was chaired by Mr Kenyatta, virtually. In attendance were Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc party leader and former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, outgoing Azimio Executive Director Raphael Tuju, Jubilee Secretary General Moitalel ole Kenta, Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, Jubilee Vice Chairperson David Murathe and Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua. ODM, the biggest party in Azimio, has rejected the changes.
Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka addresses mourners during the burial of JM Kariuki's third wife, Terry Kariuki, in Gitari, Gilgil, Nakuru County on November 11, 2025.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
After the meeting, Mr Musyoka was designated Azimio party leader replacing the late ODM leader as part of the push to boost the Wiper party chief’s electability credentials and also add more impetus to the one term push against Dr Ruto. Despite initial fears that Mr Gachagua would resist Mr Kenyatta’s more aggressive stance and revival of a dormant coalition that some thought was past its sell-by date, the former deputy president appears to have opted not to rock the boat.
“DCP party congratulates Kalonzo Musyoka on his appointment and acceptance as Party Leader of Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition. The bold step taken by the chairman, President Uhuru Kenyatta, the coalition leadership, and all parties is the right step into the future as our Nation's rebirth beckons on August 10, 2027. We remain strong ahead and focused on the greater good of our Nation,” Mr Gachagua said.
Mr Kenyatta has arrogated himself the role as the puppet master in a game of chase that he hopes will lead to the downfall of his successor, who was his deputy for ten years while he was in charge of the instruments of power.
However, critics are quick to point out that no political coalition in Kenya has survived beyond one electoral cycle, and therefore view Mr Kenyatta’s mission with immense pessimism.
Kanu boss Gideon Moi was represented in the meeting by Tony Gachoka, who told Nation that Mr Kenyatta’s grand plan is to unite Azimio partners before they can negotiate with other political players. The meeting observed a minute of silence in honour of Mr Odinga, with Mr Kenyatta leading the team to pay tribute and reflect on the veteran politician’s legacy.
In that meeting, MP Omondi, perceived to be an ODM rebel, was named the new Secretary General, replacing National Assembly Minority Leader and Suna East MP Junet Mohammed. Former Cabinet Minister Raphael Tuju was also replaced by former Nairobi Town Clerk Philip Kisia as the coalition’s Executive Director.
“Uhuru Kenyatta was carrying out his mandate as the coalition council chairman. He convened the meeting as the chairman of with the intention of getting a leader to replace the late Raila Odinga,” President Uhuru Kenyatta Spokesperson Kanze Dena told the Nation .
She added: “Mr Kalonzo will now be in charge of the coalition and as the leader he will run the affairs of the coalition including future plans and election preparedness.”
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta (centre) with former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i (right) and Jeremiah Kioni during a Jubilee Party meeting in Murang’a County on November 7, 2025.
Photo credit: Martin Mwaura | Nation Media Group
In an interview with, Mr Omondi said the meeting was convened after wide consultations that included the Odinga family and his old political contacts.
“The general feeling in the meeting was that Raila’s legacy is being destroyed, and there is need to consolidate support to send President Ruto home. It is not Uhuru who is organising us. This thing involves so many people, including Raila’s family. It is a product of wide consultations,” he said.
He added, “A United opposition, well-coordinated, will beat Ruto with close to five million votes.”
Nation could not, however, independently verify the involvement of the Odinga family in the plan.
But his daughter and Eat African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Winnie Odinga has been critical of the broad-based arrangement and the coalition talks between ODM and UDA.
Then President Uhuru Kenyatta and the late former ODM leader Raila Odinga at the KICC in Nairobi during the Jubilee Party's National Delegates Conference on February 26, 2022.
Photo credit: PSCU
In the grand scheme of things, Mr Kenyatta and his strategies seek to rebrand Azimio to make the coalition more appealing to the youthful population, popularly known as the Gen Z as well as new partners. There are also plans to talk to some of the partners, who had formally exited the coalition.
Martha Karua of People’s Liberation Party formally exited the coalition over political differences, while the Democratic Action Party-K (DAP-K) of former Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa had also indicated plans to exit
“It was resolved that the door be opened for those seeking to join. We also agreed that the coalition party be rebranded to attract youth and other united opposition outfits. Part of rebranding is to allow members to join as individuals or through other political party. Azimio will decide how Parliament is organised,” Mr Omondi said.
The meeting is said to have deliberated on exploiting the split in ODM by allowing the disgruntled members to join the coalition as individuals and run on its ticket. In the 2022 elections, only Raila and his running mate Martha Karua contested on the coalition ticket. Candidates for the other positions ran on their respective affiliate parties.
Mr Omondi revealed that the plan is to bring together people who have worked with Mr Odinga in the past elections, with an eye on using Azimio to retain his traditional backyards.
In their thinking, the team believes that the late iconic opposition leader’s supporters can easily identify with the coalition that sponsored him in the 2022 presidential race.
“Our plan is for Azimio to have a presidential candidate and running mate before engaging in talks with other partners.”
The lawmaker also hinted at the plan to push for changes in Minority leadership in both the National Assembly and the senate. He said that Parliament only recognizes Azimio as the minority side. Nation has since learned that Mr Kenyatta is planning yet another council meeting to discuss possible names that can be fronted as replacement of the current officer holders.
Azimio has Mr Mohammed as Minority leader deputised by Kathiani MP Robert Mbui in the National Assembly. Suba North MP is the Minority Whip deputized by Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje.
In the Senate, the coalition is led by Kilifi senator Stewart Madzayo as the Minority leader with Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua deputizing him. Narok senator Ledama Ole Kina is the Minority Whip, deputized by Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna.
“ODM is still part of Azimio, and that is how they are recognized in Parliament. This talk that Raila left us in government is hogwash. What is factual is that he left us in Azimio,” said Mr Omondi.
Last evening, Mr Musyoka threatened to “pursue all legal avenues” against State House, which houses the Government Printer, for not gazetting the Azimio leadership changes by Friday February 6 as had been expected.
He argued that failure to do so as in contravention of a Ruto, Raila talks team deal which, among others, stipulated “fidelity to the law on multiparty democracy.” Mr Musyoka co-chaired the talks.
“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. Ruto has consistently undermined opposition parties and coalitions. This is yet another example of using state machinery to weaken political competition rather than competing on ideas and track record,” Mr Musyoka said in a statement.
Former National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi, who is a member of the United Opposition, also lent credence to the scheme to orchestrate changes in the minority leadership.
“I applaud the resilience of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition for standing the test of time amid the deliberate bastardisation of our multiparty democracy. Azimio La Umoja must be respected as the official opposition coalition, and those who sit in the Minority of the House courtesy of the coalition can be de-whipped for fraternising with the Kenya Kwanza regime,” said Mr Muturi.
Suba South MP Caroli Omondi.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
Senator Wambua, who attended the Monday meeting, said all the major political reorganization are part of the game plan to send Dr Ruto home.
“There are only two known political coalitions in Kenya today; Azimio and Kenya Kwanza. Wiper is one of the anchor parties in the coalition and the appointment of my Party Leader to steer the coalition is a most welcome move.”
“We are preparing to decisively defeat Kenya Kwanza, or what will have been left of it by August next year, on the ballot,” said Mr Wambua.
ODM Treasure Timothy Bosire described the meeting as a normal political posturing ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“We are about to start the 2027 campaigns, and people are exploring possible alliances to see if they can be more strategic.”
“As ODM we are facing our own internal challenges which we need to fix. For now, our attention has not been drawn to what our partners are engaged in,” said Mr Bosire.
Prof David Monda, a US-based political analyst says that the maneuvers by Mr Kenyatta all depends on whether other opposition members accept to work within the Azimio Coalition and if they would accept Mr Musyoka as the presidential candidate.
“At a bare minimum, it is Uhuru's effort to bring some type of unified structure around Kenya's fractured opposition. It is becoming clear Kenyan's know who they will vote against. What is not clear is whom they will vote for.”
Prof Monda says reviving Azimio makes sense because it elevates Kalonzo and forces peripheral opposition power brokers either to play ball or leave Azimio.
He says it also forces ODM factions to decide definitively if they will remain in the Orange party and the Azimio coalition or jump ship and join Ruto in a marriage with UDA.
“In a sense, Uhuru's move to revive Azimio can be seen as an effort to fast track the demise of ODM and its constituent parts. The more divided the opposition is, the more they do not offer the electorate a viable and superior option to Ruto, the stronger the incumbent becomes.”
