Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has reiterated that the Azimio-One Kenya Alliance will not join President William Ruto’s “Government of National Unity”.

Speaking at a memorial service of the late journalist Mercy Mawia at AIC Milimani in Nairobi yesterday, Kalonzo maintained that Opposition leader Raila Odinga had been duped into joining the Kenya Kwanza government, adding that his party will not make “such a mistake”.

New look Cabinet

At the same time he maintained that the new look Cabinet nominated by President Ruto did not reflect “the national unity” as it largely comprises members from the Kenya Kwanza coalition and Raila’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.

Kalonzo, who was accompanied by Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti and former Kitui governor Charity Ngilu revealed that Raila had held a meeting with fellow Azimio principals on Wednesday to explain to them why he had his top party officials Ali Hassan Joho, Wycliffe Oparanya, John Mbadi and Opiyo Wandayi to join Ruto’s new look Cabinet but they told him to his face that they were “not boarding”.

The meeting was attended by Raila, Kalonzo, Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni, Kanu national chairman Gideon Moi, former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya and Siaya Governor James Orengo.

National unity

Kalonzo maintained that the rest of the Azimio coalition will stand with Kenyans in opposing Ruto’s government.

“Some of us are so clear in our minds that there’s nothing called Government of National Unity. All that Kenya Kwanza did was to poach four members from ODM. So Raila sought to explain to us what happened,” Kalonzo said.

It was not the first time Kalonzo was distancing himself from any efforts towards forming a government of national unity as suggested by Ruto.

Two weeks ago, Kalonzo criticised the move by the four ODM leaders to join the new look Cabinet, terming it an act of betrayal to Kenyans.

“We shall not participate in or support the proposed Kenya Kwanza-led broad-based government of national unity. This is a betrayal of the Kenyan people, particularly Gen-Z and millennials, who have paid the ultimate price,” said Kalonzo.