Azimio reorganises, admit Matiang’i, Munya, Kivuti to top Council ahead of 2027
The appointments mark the first significant expansion of Azimio's top leadership since the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and signal the coalition's efforts to broaden its leadership as it positions itself for the next general election.
The Kalonzo Musyoka-led Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition has admitted former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, former Meru Governor Peter Munya and Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti into its top decision-making organ as part of a major reorganisation and rebranding drive ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The appointments were approved during a joint meeting of the coalition’s Council and National Executive Committee held today at the SKM Command Centre in Nairobi and chaired by coalition leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
Announcing the resolutions, Azimio Council Secretary General Caroli Omondi said the coalition had resolved to restructure its leadership organs and embark on a comprehensive rebranding exercise aimed at strengthening the opposition.
“The Council resolved to reorganise the party structures, the various organs of the party, as well as to move forward with the rebranding of the Azimio Coalition,” Omondi said.
He announced that the Council had unanimously admitted Matiang’i, Munya and Kivuti as new members of the coalition’s governing council.
“The Council made a decision to admit three new members into its ranks: Fred Matiang’i, former Governor Peter Munya and Honourable Senator Lenny Kivuti to become the new Council members,” he said.
The appointments mark the first significant expansion of Azimio’s top leadership since the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and signal the coalition’s efforts to broaden its leadership as it positions itself for the next general election.
The meeting also resolved to widen the coalition by inviting several political parties to join or rejoin Azimio.
Among them is the Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K), one of Azimio’s founding members. Omondi said party leader Eugene Wamalwa, who attended the meeting, confirmed DAP-K would rejoin the coalition once it completed its internal approval processes.
Invitations were also extended to Umoja na Maendeleo Movement (UMMD), the Democratic Party (DP), the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other like-minded political formations. Their respective leaders indicated they would seek the necessary internal approvals before formally joining the coalition.
In a move aimed at enhancing regional inclusivity, the National Executive Committee also approved the appointment of Abdi Hassan from the North Eastern region to the National Executive Council.
Addressing the meeting, Kalonzo said the Council had mandated the coalition leadership to intensify engagements with other political formations as part of efforts to build a broad opposition alliance.
“We will be taking important decisions as we go forward. The party leader was given the mandate to engage other like-minded political parties because we all recognise that time is of the essence. We have entered the election year,” Kalonzo said.
He confirmed that Azimio had already opened discussions with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), Martha Karua’s People’s Liberation Party (PLP), former Chief Justice David Maraga and the Linda Mzalendo movement, which is seeking registration as a political party.
“We are talking to Democracy for Citizens Party. We are also re-engaging with PLP. Democracy for Citizens Party leader is, of course, our brother Rigathi Gachagua and also our sister Martha Karua of PLP,” Kalonzo said.
“We are talking to others, including Chief Justice Emeritus, who has also indicated they may want to join this coalition as we rebrand and as we get together. We are also talking to Linda Mzalendo. We wish them well as they push for the registration of Linda Mzalendo as a political party,” he added.
The resolutions come just days after Kalonzo dismissed claims that retired President Uhuru Kenyatta was orchestrating opposition efforts against President William Ruto. Speaking in Embu last week, Kalonzo insisted opposition leaders were independently organising themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
“So do not paint a picture that Uhuru is organising us to face Ruto. We are organising ourselves to face Ruto and nobody will do it for us,” he said.
Founded by former President Uhuru Kenyatta ahead of the 2022 General Election to back the late Raila Odinga’s presidential bid against then Deputy President William Ruto, Azimio is now seeking to reinvent itself through a broader political realignment and leadership restructuring as it prepares for the next electoral contest.
