Kalonzo urges United Opposition principals to use Azimio la Umoja as their vehicle in 2027
By Mabonga Makhanu, March 30, 2026Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka has urged his fellow United Opposition members to use the Azimio la Umoja coalition in their quest to challenge President William Ruto in 2027.
Kalonzo, who is also the convener of the United Opposition, while speaking during an interview with a local TV station on Sunday, March 29, 2026, asked his fellow principals, telling them that maybe they could just change the name of the coalition to ‘Ukombozi’, but insisted that there was no need to form a new political outfit when they already have one in place.
“We are looking at that, and I advise my colleagues that we already have a vehicle; let’s use it, perhaps changing the name. I hear the word ‘Ukombozi’; it’s time to liberate this country,” he said.
Azimio United Opposition merger
This comes days after he also hinted at a united opposition and the Azimio la Umoja merger, saying that it is going to be one of the agendas in one of their upcoming 3-day retreats next week at the coast, hoping that he will be able to convince his colleagues to adopt the Azimio la Umoja, which was the late Raila Odinga’s political vehicle in 2022.
Kalonzo Musyoka, who was recently appointed to steer the Azimio La Umoja after Raila’s exit, defended his suggestion, saying 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.
“I’m actually the successor to my friend Raila as the 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.”
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.