Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja coalition could be dying, after Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his allies disclosed that they were planning to form a new political outfit.

Kalonzo and Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa said the planned outfit would bring together “like-minded individuals” and could be in place as early as next January.

The also hinted that the alliance could incorporate impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his allies who fell out with President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza.

Also expected to be roped into the new outfit are key figures of Generation Z who spearheaded street protests in June and July that forced President Ruto to drop the contentious 2024 Finance Bill 2024 and fire most of his Cabinet before reconstituting it.

Kalonzo, who is eyeing the presidency in 2027, has been on a charm offensive, seeking to woo the Mt Kenya vote bloc and warming up to Gachagua and his allies.

With Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement working with the government after its officials and MPs joined Ruto’s Cabinet, Kalonzo has moved in to consolidate the opposition.

A source told People Daily that Kalonzo had held several meetings with Gachagua – who recently promised to give political direction to the people of Central Kenya soon – with a view to forging an alliance ahead of 2027.

“The Azimio coalition was a good coalition, but as my late brother used to say, a good idea must give way to a better idea,” Wamalwa told People Daily yesterday.

“The differences in Azimio have become irreparable as we can no longer keep on living like a mermaid … being both in the opposition and government at the same time.”

’Dirty works’

Wamalwa said it was no longer tenable for them to remain in Azimio after Raila, its flag-bearer in 2022, decided to work with President Ruto under a “broad-based” government.

“Azimio has been reduced to an outfit of playing dirty works for President Ruto, and no longer stands for the interests of Kenyans. The gap in the outfit has widened in terms of principles, values and priorities,” Wamalwa said.

The hint that some partners would exit the coalition was first made by Kalonzo on Monday when he disclosed that the parties had initiated the process of leaving.

Speaking in Kitale, Trans Nzoia county, after visiting Wamalwa at his home, Kalonzo disclosed that Wiper, DAP-K, Peter Munya’s Party of National Unity and former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee were in the last stages of forming a new alliance that would face President Ruto in 2027.

“If we come up with a new outfit, it could even incorporate Azimio itself, so that is how focused we are. I urge the media not to bury Azimio before it is actually dead and buried because we have a lot of investment in that space and we want to be able to move in a manner which is systematic,” Kalonzo said.

Kalonzo and Wamalwa said they wanted to get the country on the right track and asked the other remaining principals of Azimio to support them in their quest.

“All we can tell Kenyans is watch this space. We have a few days to the new year and there are new things that are coming,” Wamalwa intimated.

Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu, who was also present, said Kalonzo was the best person to lead the coalition. “We want to tell the people of Kitale that we will be in that coalition that will be led by Kalonzo Musyoka come 2027,” he stated.

“I believe this is the team that will save Kenya from corruption and corrupt individuals and from President Ruto and his punitive tax measures,” Wamalwa added.

Presidential candidate

Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi said their team is trying to reach out to others who would bring value to the group.
Everyone is welcome, he said, “apart from those who have destroyed this country through corruption”.

“Our aim is to bring together all Kenyans of goodwill. We want to unveil our presidential candidate early enough. As you can see, the Kenya Kwanza team is already preparing itself by reaching out to Raila,” Mwangangi said.

Another Azimio insider, Paul Ajiba, said the anticipated political outfit would bring together all progressive forces and try to capture regions such as Coast, Mt Kenya and Western that have been ignored by Kenya Kwanza.

“We are moving fast to isolate ourselves from the Raila team that does not know whether it belongs in government or opposition and starting serving the interests of Kenyans. We must start playing the role of the opposition in waiting,” Ajiba said.

In an interview with People Daily yesterday, Wamalwa blamed Raila for the collapse of Azimio, saying his decision to support President Ruto’s government in anticipation of getting reciprocal support for his bid for the African Union Commission chairmanship had taken focus and direction from the outfit.

Wamalwa, a former Defence Cabinet secretary in President Kenyatta’s government, said that as a result of Raila’s move, Azimio has been left hanging, belonging neither in the government nor the opposition.

He said Raila, who has not relinquished his leadership role in Azimio, has been pushing the government agenda against what the opposition outfit espouses.

Wamalwa cites three moves that Raila has made as he strengthens his bromance with Ruto as the last straw – his support for removing Gachagua, the reintroduction of the controversial 2024 Finance Bill by Treasury CS John Mbadi, and his public support for the contentious Adani deals.