The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has announced plans to formally withdraw from the Azimio la Umoja–One Kenya Coalition, accusing former President Uhuru Kenyatta of interfering with the coalition’s internal affairs.
Speaking during the ODM National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Mombasa, party leader Oburu Odinga said the coalition had become dysfunctional and could no longer make decisions without consulting ODM. He emphasized that ODM remains the largest and most influential party within Azimio, and therefore, no major decision should be made without its approval.
“We left it a long time ago; it is only a formality that we have not performed, which we are going to perform very soon. We are going to exit that moribund organisation called Azimio. We are going to move out,” Oburu declared.
Oburu dismissed the recent appointment of Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka as the new Azimio party leader, saying ODM was not consulted before the decision was made. He insisted that any leadership changes within the coalition must have ODM’s concurrence.
“This thing called Azimio — we are Azimio. The majority, the strongest party in Azimio, was ourselves as ODM,” he said. “There is nobody who can make decisions in Azimio without the concurrence of ODM, and you cannot pretend to appoint a new leader of Azimio, excluding and bypassing this party. If ODM has not agreed, then there is nothing like a resolution of Azimio.”
His remarks come days after Azimio chairperson and former president Uhuru Kenyatta announced sweeping changes within the coalition. Among them was the appointment of Kalonzo Musyoka as the coalition’s party leader, replacing Raila Odinga, who has been largely absent from local politics due to his continental engagements.
Other changes included the removal of Suna East MP Junet Mohamed as secretary general, replaced by Suba South MP Caroli Omondi. Former Nairobi County Secretary Philip Kisia was also appointed as the coalition’s organising secretary, taking over from former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju, who resigned from the position.
ODM’s planned formal exit marks a significant shift in Kenya’s opposition politics, potentially reshaping alliances ahead of the next general election. The move also signals growing tensions between ODM and other Azimio affiliate parties over leadership and decision-making within the coalition.
