A rift has surfaced within the Azimio Coalition after the Kalonzo Musyoka-led faction distanced itself from allegations that former President Uhuru Kenyatta had asked Raila Odinga to support President William Ruto.
Tensions escalated when ODM Party leaders defended Raila Odinga against claims made by Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni. According to ODM members, Raila remains the Azimio Coalition’s flag bearer, and decisions cannot be made without ODM’s involvement as a principal party.
ODM clarified that statements from the Kalonzo-led faction represented the views of their individual parties, not the coalition as a whole.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, recently confirmed as ODM’s chairperson, warned against using Raila Odinga as a scapegoat for internal issues within the coalition. “We will not tolerate any attempt to use Raila Odinga as a human shield or to pressure him into endorsing anyone,” Wanga said. She emphasized that ODM’s involvement with the government does not mean they have left Azimio.
The controversy began when some Azimio principal parties, opposing the government, endorsed Kalonzo Musyoka as the new opposition leader. This group, led by Kioni and DAP’s Eugene Wamalwa, questioned Raila’s effectiveness as an opposition leader while in perceived alignment with the government. They also criticized attempts to leverage Uhuru Kenyatta’s name for political validation.
In response, Wanga cautioned against using Raila’s bid for the African Union Commission Chairmanship to manipulate his stance on Azimio matters. “We will not accept Raila Odinga’s candidacy being used to influence his position within Azimio,” she stated.
The future direction of the Azimio Coalition, which includes Jubilee, Wiper Party, Party of National Unity (PNU), Democratic Action Party (DAP), and ODM, remains uncertain as the factions continue to navigate their internal disagreements.
