The Azimio la Umoja Initiative that was launched by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on August 17, following collapse of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) appears to have brought together strange bedfellows.
 Politicians who were initially tough critics of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader are today sharing the same podium.
 And they share two agendas; campaigning for his presidential bid and divorcing Deputy President (DP) William Ruto.
Today, Raila will share a podium with Jubilee politicians such National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya and governors Francis Kimemia, James Nyoro, Kiraitu Murungi, Lee Kinyanjui and MPs Maina Kamanda; who were some of his fiercest critics in the last General Election.
 On Raila’s side will also be Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Fred Matiang’i who in the run-up to the last elections, he wanted sacked over accusation of presiding over the maiming of his supporters; in the last election.
Odd spectacle
Also on his side are CSs Peter Munya (Agriculture), Sicily Kariuki (Water), James Macharia (Transport), Joe Mucheru (ICT) or governors and lawmakers from Mt Kenya region who were his critics.
It was an odd spectacle when National Assembly Minority whip led a group  of both ODM and Jubilee MPs to inspect  the venue of the event.
It is a remarkable turnaround for people who never saw eye-to-eye before, but would be happily chatting and exchanging pleasantries at the high table today.
The animosity between Mt Kenya and the ODM chief is traced to 2005 when he led the No campaign against the new Constitution promoted by retired President Mwai Kibaki’s government.
It was made worse following the hotly disputed 2007 elections that led to a deadly post-election violence.
The 2013 and 2017 elections worsened the situation but after the Handshake between President Kenyatta and Raila in March, 2018, the hostility between them and their supporters have been whipped away.  
 Today, Raila is not only welcomed to Mt Kenya region but leaders are scrambling for a photo opportunity; with a number of them yearning to be his running mate among them Munya and former presidential candidate Peter Kenneth, something that was previously unthinkable.
“That this region fully supports the Azimio la Umoja quest for a united front to address the key issues affecting our region. Through Azimio La Umoja, Hon Raila has demonstrated a willingness to address the interests of our region; secure Kenya’s peace and economy; and safeguard public resources from plunder,” Mt Kenya region resolved on Wednesday.
Tough defenders
Interestly, it’s the DP who in 2012 and 2013 they praised, is now being branded the enemy of the region, with leaders saying they have “no confidence in sweet-talking people, who want to take advantage of our problems and use them as fodder for electioneering without offering concrete solutions.
Other  leaders like Jubilee Vice Chair David Murathe, who was among the fierce critics of Raila before the Handshake, Kenneth, nominated MP Maina Kamanda- who initially abused Raila in favour of DP, have even declared their support for him in 2022.
East Africa Legislative Assembly MP Mpuru Apuri, who was in 2013 elected as Tigania East MP on ODM, said before the Handshake, that associating with Raila was dangerous even for the party members.
“It was a problem for me and ODM officials to operate in the Mt Kenya region. But the Handshake brought unity that even ODM leaders are highly respected in the region. Before it was like selling pork in Saudi Arabia. But people are rising above tribal propaganda,” Mpuru told People Daily.
The ODM brigade which initially attacked the President, among them Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, MPs Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay County), Junet Mohammed (Suna East), Millie Odhiambo (Suba North), Babu Owino (Embakasi East), TJ Kajwang (Ruaraka) are today his tough defenders.
Titus Ibui, the vice-chairman of Mt Kenya Foundation that is backing the initiative says: “Raila started an initiative with the blessing of the President which is the Azimo la Umoja. It was agreed to go around the country to seek views and he did all the ten counties,”.
The project saw Mt Kenya tycoons, who are part of a team designing Uhuru’ succession politics, woo the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands counties under the UPYA brigade to be part of political decisions by the Mt Kenya region.
The foundation’s chairman Peter Munga who is also the founder of Equity Bank introduced Raila as “the forthcoming President of the republic of Kenya”, and said even after today’s convection, they would continue with the Azimio la Umoja project by hosting leaders from Ukambani and Maa community and rally them behind ODM chief’s candidature.
“We recently hosted people from the North Eastern region. They live around Mt Kenya and they are part of us. We will also invite the Maa community so that when we go to vote and we agree its Raila. We will also call people from Mt Kenya South. You know in GEMA, A represents Akamba. They are our in-laws,” he said.