Africa-Press – Kenya. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has formally written to the Registrar of Political Parties disputing recent changes to the leadership of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition.
ODM described the moves, including the appointment of the Secretary General, as illegal and outside the coalition’s established legal framework.
In a letter addressed to Registrar of Political Parties John Cox Lorionokou, ODM expressed its objection to the resolutions passed during a council meeting held on Monday, February 2, 2026.
Signed by ODM Executive Director Oduor Ong’wen, the letter argues that the meeting and its decisions were ultra vires, meaning they were beyond the legal authority of those who convened it.
“Our attention has been drawn to a meeting of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Council held on Monday, 2nd February 2026, which purported to effect changes to the leadership of the Coalition, including the position of Secretary General,” reads the letter.
ODM cites Article 6(A)(1) of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Deed of Agreement, which reserves the formation of the Coalition Council and appointments to its leadership positions for the Party Leaders of the coalition’s constituent parties: Jubilee Party, ODM, Wiper Democratic Movement, and the authorised representative(s) of the Mwanzo Mpya Caucus.
“The clear import of this provision is that the appointment and removal of members of the Coalition Council, including the Secretary General, is a collective preserve of the Party Leaders of the Coalition’s constituent parties,” the letter continues.
“The power to appoint or remove is therefore neither unilateral nor vested in a single Party Leader, a clique of leaders, nor the Coalition Council acting independently.”
ODM asserts that its Party Leader, explicitly named in the Deed of Agreement as a key constituent party, was neither informed nor involved in the purported leadership changes.
The party says this makes the meeting and its resolutions null and void under the coalition’s governing documents and relevant legal frameworks.
The party has formally requested the Registrar of Political Parties to suspend and freeze any actions arising from the contested meeting until full compliance with the coalition’s Deed of Agreement is observed.
“In the circumstances, we formally request your office to suspend and freeze any action arising from the said meeting pending strict compliance with the Deed of Agreement and the applicable legal framework,” the letter concludes.
During the February 2 meeting, chaired by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, key leadership appointments were unanimously approved and formally communicated to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP).
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka was appointed Party Leader of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition, strengthening his role in steering the coalition’s political direction.
Suba MP Caroli Omondi was named Secretary General, while former Nairobi Town Clerk Philip Kisia was appointed Executive Director.
The coalition said the appointments were necessitated by “evolving political circumstances” that demanded prompt and strategic leadership adjustments to strengthen internal coordination and effectiveness.
“These changes are part of a deliberate effort to reposition and revitalise the coalition,” Azimio said in a statement following the meeting.
