Jeremiah Kiplang’at

The Azimio La Umoja movement is facing a tough task of maintaining neutrality as political parties which have expressed interest in joining it are bitterly jostling for space and recognition ahead of the coalition’s official unveiling later this month.

The Azimio founders, led by ODM leader Raila Odinga, have promised a massive outfit, akin to the National Rainbow Coalition which swept Mwai Kibaki into power in the 2002 General Election after ousting independence party Kanu.

However, some parties that are keen to join the movement are already locked in supremacy battles as President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila prepare to unveil it after their party’s National Delegates Conventions slated for February 25 and 26.

It is also emerging that trust issues that normally bedevil coalitions are slowly developing in the nascent alliance as member parties seek to maintain their identities and strongholds as they battle for space within Raila’s mega coalition.

The Orange Democratic Movement has, for instance, made it clear it will not entertain any competition from any Azimio sibling in its strongholds to avoid being “swallowed”, with the possibility of losing its identity.

At the same time, Jubilee has laid out extensive revival strategies in the Mount Kenya region where it is seeking to flex its muscles again despite appearing to lose its popularity to Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance.

National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohammed, who is the ODM Director of Elections, on Wednesday made it clear that no other party would be allowed to field candidates in Nyanza counties where it draws its strength.

“Siaya, Homa Bay, Kisii, Nyamira, Migori, Kisumu are all ODM strongholds. Even if we are joining Azimio, it is through ODM. If you think you can win through another Azimio party then your journey has ended early. The Baba’s vehicle in Azimio is ODM.  If you want to be MCA, MP, Woman Rep, senator, governor here in Siaya you must be in ODM,” stated Junet.

Trust issues

He said that any party that defied the directive would be branded an enemy.

“Here we will have one candidate for each seat under Azimio through ODM. Those who will not be in ODM will be our enemies. If you are in a mud house, a small party like David Ochieng’s (Movement for Growth and Democracy party), get out of there and join ODM,” he added.

Ochieng’ is the Member of Parliament for Ugenya, Siaya County.

There are also emerging trust issues with some parties preferring to join Azimio by striking a deal with Jubilee rather than through ODM owing to past experiences linked to unfulfilled promises after the last election.

Wiper and Kanu already have existing cooperation agreements with the ruling Jubilee Party and are keen to stick to them instead of pursuing another coalition.

Wiper vice-chairman Mutula Kilonzo told People Daily yesterday there were still many issues they wanted sorted out before they can consider joining Azimio.

He said presently they were firming up the One Kenya Alliance before extending negotiations to any other outfit. Other members of OKA are Kanu, Narc-Kenya and United Democratic Party whose leaders are Gideon Moi, Martha Karua and Cyrus Jirongo respectively.

“No one wants to be framed in a box where there is no recourse for leaving. Azimio is an amorphous unit without a party leader, the officials are not even known. Some people are saying Azimio is ODM,” the Makueni Senator said.

Wiper caution

He added that they had learnt their lessons in the past and would not want to fall in the same trap as before.

“We are not keen to be dragged into Azimio for now. We do not want to find ourselves in the same situation as Nasa,” he said, adding that he was not aware of any invitation to them to attend the unveiling of Azimio.

“If they invite us as Wiper we will not go but as OKA we will see,” added Mutula Jr.

Former ruling party PNU has also pitched its resurgence on Azimio after seeing its image and fortunes in the Mt Kenya region depleted by Jubilee in the last polls.

The party, which President Kibaki vied on for re-election in 2007, held a special National Executive Council meeting yesterday which resolved that the outfit joins the Azimio coalition.

Party chairman David Kamau said the NEC resolutions will be presented before the party’s National Delegates Convention before the end of the month for approval before they enter into a coalition with Azimio.

He acknowledged the existence of pertinent issues he said should be addressed by the party’s elections board.

“The issues of which party should field a candidate in which region will be addressed through mediation,” Kamau said.

Kanu, which is also angling for a share of the Azimio cake, resolved on Wednesday to push for mapping of the various political zones but said they would ensure the party maintained its identity.

“With the reality of coalition politics in 2022, electoral mapping of the country is inevitable for optimal poll performance. However, we assure our aspirants that the methodology of the mapping will take into account their interests to ensure that the party retains and gains maximum from the forthcoming General Election,” said Kanu secretary general Nick Salat.

Deeper roots

At the same time, leaders from Murang’a County who are affiliated to the Jubilee have vowed to do massive campaigns to revive the party’s popularity ahead of the August poll.

The leaders led by former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, Mathioya MP Peter Kimari and his Gatanga counterpart Ngugi Nduati, said they were on a mission to ensure all leaders from the county would be elected on Jubilee ticket.

Speaking in Gatanga on Thursday, the trio said they should de-popularise the UDA party, saying Jubilee had deeper roots than Ruto’s outfit.

Kenneth said they are recruiting foot soldiers who will be drumming up support for the party.

This, he said, was in preparation for President Kenyatta’s visit to the area in the near future.