The Azimio la Umoja coalition pact with Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his ODM counterpart Raila Odinga has been marred by confusions after the former claims of a coalition-to-coalition deal.
Kalonzo says they had agreed on Azimio-One Kenya, however, Raila allies maintain the 24 political parties that appended signatures did so to join Azimio and not Azimio-One Kenya.
Raila’s presidential campaign spokesman Makau Mutua accompanied by the campaign board chair Ndiritu Muriithi said there was no way they could ink a coalition-to-coalition deal as the new political parties’ law does not allow for such agreement.
“An agreement was signed by secretaries general of the constituent political parties to join Azimio as a coalition party. The 24 political parties signed as single parties,” said Prof Mutua.
This is in total contradiction with what Kalonzo said regarding the two documents the officials of the parties signed.
Article section 7 sub-section 9 of the amended Political Parties Act prohibits a party from joining or belonging to two different coalitions.
The Wiper leader claimed the entire process to unveil Odinga as the Azimio presidential flag bearer was rushed. As a result of the rush, Kalonzo says his Wiper Party refrained from signing the declaration endorsing Odinga as the Azimio presidential candidate.
“My Secretary-General didn’t sign the second document because it was an Azimio only thing. Ask many of those SGs what they appended their signatures, they have no clue,” said Kalonzo.
As Kalonzo claims foul play in the Azimio deal, Kalonzo will be sitting at the highest decision-making organ of the movement, the Azimio Council.
The council is to include President Uhuru Kenyatta as chairman, ODM leader Raila Odinga as party leader and presidential flag bearer. Odinga’s running mate will also seat at the council.