What revival of Azimio portends for Ruto’s re-election

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s move to revive the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition is set to reshape the race for the presidency in the 2027 elections in many ways, including by sparing the United Opposition the headache of forming a new umbrella platform, which they will have to brand and market with barely 18 months to polling day.

On Monday, February 2, 2026, Uhuru, who is the Azimio chairman, convened a meeting of key affiliate parties during which the coalition named Kalonzo Musyoka as Party Leader, Caroli Omondi as Secretary‑General, and Philip Kisia as Executive Director.

The decisions have since been acknowledged by Registrar of Political Parties

Though a section of affiliate parties have threatened to legally challenge the changes citing lack of consultations, political pundits aver it is the intent rather that is more important rather that whatever form Opposition against President William Ruto will take.

Following the death of ODM leader Raila Odinga in October last year, President Ruto has been bragging that his remaining opponent, including Kalonzo, Rigathi Gachagua, Martha Karua and Fred Matiang’i, are lightweights and he will sent home whoever they choose as presidential candidate home in the morning.

Ruto has even projected that he will secure a landslide win of two to three million votes over and above his closest challenger unlike in 2022 when he defeated Raila by about 200,000 votes.

He has also taken to describing the United Opposition as people without brains and an agenda on what they plan to deliver to Kenyans.

Now, in Uhuru, who as chair of Azimio, is placed at the centre of the forces ranged against him, he has found a formidable politician whose influence on the outcome of next year’s elections he cannot underrate.

It is instructive that neither Ruto nor his allies in the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) have commented on the changes in Azimio, including during Wednesday’s aspirants meeting at State House Nairobi.

In choosing Kalonzo to succeed Raila as Azimio leader, Uhuru was also sending feelers about the possible game plan being mulled by the United Opposition.

There is already speculation that Kalonzo could be named the flag bearer with Matiang’i, who is the Jubilee Party Deputy Leader, as his running mate.

The former president could also likely be testing Gachagua’s commitment to the “Wantam” cause.

Already, one of his key allies, Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, has declared that the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) will not board the Azimio boat.

“As DCP, we cannot buy that Uhuru thing called Azimio. We are not boarding into that rubbish,” he said during an interview on TV47.

This despite early assertions by the party’s Secretary General Cleophas Malala that the two were working together.

Uhuru and Gachagua are vying for dominance in the vote-rich Mt Kenya and it remains to be seen if they will be in the same formation until the elections, though the latter’s options are narrow.

Gachagua, who favours Kalonzo to become a flag bearer, has been unease about Jubilee fronting Matiang’i, who he says has not consolidated the Gusii vote in what analysts says is fear he could be banking on Mt Kenya support courtesy of Uhuru.

The revival of Azimio also sends a direct message to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) faction pushing for a deal with Ruto to form a coalition government after the elections.

In removing Junet Mohammed as Secretary General, Uhuru raised the possibility that ODM rebels who might decide to quit the party will find accommodation in Azimio.

While Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has severally restated that he will not quit the party Raila founded, there has been talk about the rebels forming a new outfit.

If the revival is not stopped by the courts, Azimio will become the first coalition to survive beyond one election cycle, which gives it an advantage since it can also bank on its old networks and support across the country to launch a formidable campaign against Ruto.