Azimio legal team meets to iron out contentious issues
By Kiplangat Jeremiah, March 14, 2022The legal team drafting the Azimio La Umoja agreement meets today to thrash out contentious issues in the deal which brought the One Kenya Alliance team led by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Kanu’s Gideon Moi into the coalition.
The team, led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s legal advisor Paul Mwangi, is expected to fine-tune several issues which were not resolved during Saturday’s day-long negotiations at State House, Nairobi, chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
They will meet as Raila heads to the United Kingdom for a week-long trip that will see him meet with senior UK government officials, religious leaders and hold talks with Kenyans living in the country. He is accompanied by senior Azimio members including governors and lawmakers.
The main contentious issue revolved around the position of running-mate which almost scuttled Saturday’s ceremony at the Kenya International Convention Center (KICC) had been resolved at the State House meeting.
For hours, Kalonzo is said to have stood his ground that he be publicly named Raila’s running-mate.
Sources said the Wiper leader had made the demand a condition for his coming on board and it took President Uhuru Kenyatta’s intervention for him to drop the demand. “He only agreed to drop the demand following assurances that the president (and not Raila) will have a final say on the issue,” said our source.
The outstanding issues, sources said, include whether the 23 political parties within the Azimio family should hold joint nominations or field separate candidates for various seats, from governor all the way to the Member of the County Assembly (MCAs).
Name change
The other outstanding issue, People Daily learnt, was the name to be given to the revamped movement. This is after the OKA team led by Kalonzo insisted on a change of the movement’s name from Azimio La Umoja to Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance.
“There was a disagreement, the Kalonzo team insisted on having the name changed to Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance to recognize their inclusion but the other team thought that Kenyans were already too used to Azimio and any change of name could confuse them. In any case, the proposed name is such a mouthful,” said a member of the legal team.
The legal team is also expected to liaise with the Registrar of Political Parties on the legality of a coalition joining another one, as is the case with OKA working the Azimio La Umoja outfit.
It is instructive that an invitation dispatched to media houses yesterday from the Kalonzo-Gideon team to cover today’s rallies in Tharaka Nithi counties referred to the outfit as Azimio One Kenya.
“Kanu chairman Senator Gideon Moi and Wiper Party leader Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka will tomorrow lead the Azimio One Kenya rallies in Tharaka Nithi county,” read the invitation.
As the negotiations continue today, Raila will follow them with lots of interest in the UK having scooped massive endorsement from the Head of State and Kalonzo who declared their willingness to put every thing at their disposal to campaign for him.
Kalonzo’s endorsement
At KICC, the President set the ball rolling for Raila’s big day as he declared his unequivocal support giving his former nemesis a major boost as he seeks the presidency for the fifth time.
“This is a day to start a new journey that will end in August this year. This is a journey to unite all Kenyans. I thank all the party leaders who have joined us. None could have vied single-handedly but these leaders and their supporters have agreed that the best way forward is to unite,” the President said after Azimio delegates endorsed Raila to vie for the country’s top seat.
Uhuru also lavished praise on Kalonzo, a former Vice-President in the grand-coalition government (2008-2013) for brushing aside his ambitions in favour of Raila’s saying he did so for the sake of the country.
“There is no leader (in Azimio) without the ability to vie for President and many have put aside their ambitions because they want to see a united Kenya. Others, however, are more able than others. One of those is my brother Kalonzo Musyoka. He has held his ambitions for the sake of the country,” he added as he ushered the crowd at KICC for a round of applause in recognition of the former VP’s decision before they headed to the main Azimio rally at Jacaranda Grounds in Nairobi.
Uhuru projects
At the venue , Raila acknowledged the talks had not been straightforward but expressed his happiness at the conclusion that saw him crowned the coalition’s leader.
“We had lengthy talks but hayawi hayawi imekua. I’m grateful to my brother Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, Gideon Moi, Charity Ngilu, Prof Kivutha Kibwana and others who have all agreed to give me the baton for the battle on August 9. I have assured them I will not fail them. I will handle the baton like a hero and will run with it to victory. We will take over from where Uhuru left. Everything good he has done we will continue doing, all the projects he has started we will complete,” Raila told the crowd.
Kalonzo said he had no qualms supporting Raila again even though he expected him to back him this time around.
It was only two weeks ago when the former VP unleashed an agreement he said he had signed with Raila in 2017 that obliged the latter to support him whether they won that year’s election or not.
“I have come here to announce that we will proceed under Azimio-One Kenya and our candidate is Raila. I’m asking all my supporters to support us. We don’t want our country to be taken over by the corrupt. We want a respectable country and we believe Raila will not fail us. I will look for votes for him all over the country,” said Kalonzo.