The Executive Director of the Azimio Secretariat Raphael Tuju has said governor Alfred Mutua and Amason Kingi’s withdrawal from the coalition was expected.
Speaking at a Nairobi hotel today, Tuju said that some of them who had departed were playing both sides and were in active talks with Kenya Kwanza.
“Some of the people who said that they needed this document knew that they were negotiating with the other side and they needed it for purposes of benchmarking. Since we knew that was going on there was no need to continue negotiating with them,” Tuju said.
According to Tuju, the demand for the signed contract at the centre of controversy was merely for benchmarking purposes versus the deal they were negotiating with the other party.
He compared the paper in question to a marriage certificate, claiming that a certificate does not create a marriage in and of itself.
“A marriage certificate does not make the marriage, it does not matter what is in the document, the document of the coalition is just a document, what is carried to the next level is good will,” he added.
“If they leave a marriage because of a marriage certificate, is that honesty?”
Mutua claims he made the decision after Azimio neglected to make the coalition agreement inked with affiliate parties public despite his threats to pursue a lawsuit.
Mutua’s decision to join Kenya Kwanza was initially announced on Twitter by Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetangula.
“Congratulations Maendeleo Chap Chap and PAA political parties for joining the Kenya Kwanza Alliance Coalition. Your entry brings in additional energy and guarantees, even more, KKA’s assured victory in the August 9th General elections. Hongera,” Wetangula said.
Over time Mutua has been talking about what he calls “mistrust” in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Azimio coalition and its presidential candidate Raila Odinga since last week.
Speaking in Kitui, Senator Enoch Wambua objected to Kitui governor Charity Ngilu’s name being added to the list of nominated people to be interrogated by the seven-member panel.
He said that an intricate strategy was in place to deny Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka the job and instead hand it over to the Narc party leader, who was being pushed on the people.
His remarks were echoed by Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo and Mombasa county gubernatorial candidate Mike Sonko, who pledged to depose Azimio if he is rigged out of the running mate position.