Faridah N Kulumba
Africa-Press-Kenya Last week the Executive Director of the Azimio Secretariat Raphael Tuju trivialized the recent exodus of politicians from the Azimio-One Kenya coalition. He assured that the coalition is still strong and not worried about the exodus, adding that there are six other political parties requesting to be part of the coalition but they cannot enter the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Azimio quitters
On the 8th of this month, Machakos Governor Dr. Alfred Mutua of the Maendeleo Chap Chap (MCC) party ditched the Azimio la Umoja coalition and joined the Deputy President William Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza coalition. Mutua claimed that his party has been kept in the dark over the Azimio one Kenya coalition affairs and it has been unable to access the coalition agreement or understand its terms. Just after hours after Dr. Mutua had left the coalition, the Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) party associated with Kilifi Governor Amson Kingi also bolted out the Azimio coalition to join Deputy Ruto’s alliance.
Azimio coalition
In March 2022, the ruling party Jubilee, the opposition party ODM, and other political groups joined forces ahead of general elections in August. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta reiterated his support for former rival Odinga before a cheering crowd in Nairobi. This was proof to show that the two leaders buried the hatched and they were ready to take Kenya to the next level.
The endorsement
President Kenyatta while endorsing his former rival Raila 77, to be the Kenyan fifth president said “We have chosen Raila Odinga,” he informed Kenyans under the banner Azimo la Umoja meaning Quest for unity. The official endorsement brought together two of Kenya’s top political dynasties, who have opposed each other at the ballot box since 2017.
The truth behind the exodus
According to Mr. Tuju’s explanation, some politicians had made unrealistic demands to the party leadership and opted to leave when they were told off. Tuju explained that there are some governors with graft cases in court who wanted their ongoing cases ‘sorted’ in order for them to give their support to the coalition. But the coalition refused to be blackmailed.
The coalition weighed in on the exit
The Odinga-Uhuru-led coalition boss Tuju weighed in on the exit of Machakos and Kilifi Governors, saying that these politicians were expecting much from Raila. According to his explanation, the MCC party leader, Mutua shifted for lack of funding. As for Amson Kingi Tuju say he left Azimio because he did not want any other party to field a candidate in Kilifi apart from PAA.
The race
Kenyans are set to cast their votes on 9th August this year. The hot race is between the number two in power Deputy President William Ruto and the leader of the opposition Raila Odinga for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) who was endorsed by Kenyan President Uhuru. For many Kenyans, this will be the mother of all elections.
The hustler and the project of the system
In October 2021, Kenyan Deputy President Ruto said the 2022 presidential race was framed between him as the Hustler of the Nation, and the ‘project of the system’ referring to the opposition leader of ODM Raila as the government project. Ruto expressed displeasure at President Kenyatta’s decision to back Raila for the presidency instead of him, vowing to defeat Raila just like he was defeated by Jubilee in the last two general elections.
Relationship turned sour
President Uhuru’s relationship with his deputy and his successor Ruto took a turn when Jubilee entered a pact with opposition leader Raila. On 19 March 2018, President Uhuru and Raila shook hands in a symbolic gesture that ended months of tensions following the disputed election in 2017 that gave Uhuru a second term. Popularized as the “handshake,” the agreement has caused major rifts within the ruling party since it ushered in the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
Surprises
In 2018, President Kenyatta and Raila stunned Kenyans when they shook hands and declared a truce after post-election violence in 2017 left dozens of people dead. Raila’s 2022 presidential bid comes after he lost four shots at the presidency in 1997, 2007, 2013, and 2017. The announcement came after Kenyatta’s successor Ruto who also vyes for the presidency was sacked from the Jubilee party.
