Kalonzo hints at possible merger between United Opposition and Azimio la Umoja
By Mabonga Makhanu, March 28, 2026Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka has hinted at a possible merger between the United Opposition and the Azimio la Umoja coalition.
While speaking during an interview aired on Friday, March 27, 2026, the now Azimio la Umoja party leader stated that after being nominated to take over the role left by the late former Prime Minister, he is now working on a plan to convince his fellow colleagues within the United Alternative Government and the defunct Azimio to join hands.
Kalonzo Musyoka, who is also the United Opposition convener, continued to explain that since there is already a coalition in place and only a few months remain before the general elections, there is no need to form a new outfit. Instead, he suggested that they could simply change the name.
“I’m actually the successor to my friend Raila as a party leader of Azimio La Umoja. So we are working around that to really see, for example, whether my other colleagues can join, and perhaps because, rather than start registration of a new coalition, we have one in existence.”
“And what we can do is perhaps think of name change or inspire it and get everybody on board. We are looking at that. And so very soon, of course, we’ll be going on a retreat. We are aware that time is of the essence. Yes, 14 or 15 months is not very long.”
He added that this will be one of the subjects, among many others, to be discussed during a three-day United Opposition retreat set to take place in Mombasa after the completion of their Ukambani “meet the people” tours, which are scheduled to begin on Monday, March 30, 2026.
Azimio’s next step
This comes days after the Azimio la Umoja Secretary General, who was also recently appointed as the coalition’s parliamentary group leader, Karoli Omondi, stated that he will be sitting down to restructure and ensure that the presidential candidate and running mate of the United Opposition come from the Azimio la Umoja coalition.
According to Karoli Omondi, communities that have long supported the late Raila Odinga should be rewarded, noting that this is a common understanding among Nyanza residents, who, according to him, are not aligned with the “TUTAM” movement but are waiting for direction from the United Opposition.
He said the region is keen on reciprocating the support it has received over the years in Raila Odinga’s quest for power.
He also faulted his party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), stating that if there were to be any pre-coalition talks, they should have begun internally within Azimio la Umoja before engaging in negotiations with the government.
Azimio Changes
This comes days after Azimio la Umoja chairman Uhuru Kenyatta appeared to be revamping the coalition, which was Raila Odinga’s political vehicle in 2022, in preparation for 2027.
He has made sweeping changes within the coalition, stripping officials who have since defected to join the broad-based government—especially those from ODM—of their roles and assigning those positions to members who have chosen not to align with President Ruto.