Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni has affirmed that his party will remain in the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition despite the exit of key leaders from the alliance.  

Speaking on a local media station on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, Kioni emphasized that the coalition agreement remains legally binding for the remaining parties until proper exit procedures are followed.

“Azimio – we signed an agreement that was deposited with the registrar of political parties. It was also deposited with the speaker of the National Assembly and there is a way of joining and a way of exiting,” Kioni stated.

He noted that recent departures from the coalition do not invalidate the agreement for the remaining members.

“The fact that Wamalwa, Martha Karua and Raila now have exited, does not mean that is the end of the agreement. We in Jubilee signed that agreement and we are in Azimio to date and we will remain in Azimio until we get into another coalition agreement when that time comes,” he said.

When asked about the coalition’s current composition, Kioni revealed that 23 political parties remain in Azimio despite the departure of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

“We are 23 political parties. The fact that the largest political party, ODM, seems to have played ping pong… but ideally, ODM has left, if you ask me. I do not agree with Wamalwa that this is the end of Azimio,” he added.  

Kioni further asserted that Jubilee is prepared to take up the leadership of the opposition within Azimio following ODM’s perceived departure.  

“Technically those who are left in Azimio will take over the leadership of Azimio and the Jubilee party should step in and will step in to take over the leadership of that opposition side,” he declared.

Betrayal

In a separate statement on Monday, March 10, 2025, Kioni accused ODM leader Raila Odinga of betraying Kenyans and his coalition partners by entering into a political agreement with President William Ruto’s government.

“This is quite a level of betrayal—not just to us but to Kenyans who entrusted the law that they gave to us when we put ourselves together as Azimio,” Kioni stated.

He explained that Jubilee felt particularly let down because Raila’s actions contradicted his previous commitment to Azimio.  

“As Jubilee, we also feel betrayed because once you are in an agreement and there is a way of managing the agreement, you know the other parties have been saying that we have left Azimio and they do it through the form of arrangement,” he added.

Kioni emphasized that while Azimio remains a legally registered coalition, Raila’s collaboration with Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) signifies his formal exit from the coalition.

“Azimio is a grouping that was put together through a legal document, a legal document that was registered with the relevant registry, and the exit of one does not mean the end of the grouping,” Kioni explained.

“Raila was the Party leader of Azimio because it is a coalition, not a political party. And he is getting into a coalition agreement with UDA legally, which means he has exited Azimio,” he added.