According to media reports opposition leader Raila Odinga has maintained that neither his ODM party nor the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition has entered into an agreement with President William Ruto’s government despite the Head of State including four of his allies in his list of new Cabinet nominees on Wednesday.
In a statement on Thursday, Mr. Odinga emphasised that while discussions have been ongoing, no formal coalition terms have been formalized between the parties involved.
“As articulated in our statement on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, neither the ODM party nor Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party has entered into any coalition agreement with President Ruto’s UDA party. We had anticipated the crafting of clear terns of engagement based on issues we raised in our various communiques,” said Mr. Odinga.
“While we extend our best wishes to the nominees and trust that they will contribute positively to national development, we continue to advocate for a national engagement under the conditions we have previously outlined as below; compensation to the families of the victims of extra-judicial executions and persons injured by the state since last year, release of all persons in custody and termination of all cases rblated to protests since last year and prosecution of policemen involved in shooting to kill or maim protestors.”
The ODM chief further reiterated the party’s commitment to upholding democratic principles on good governance.
“ODM remains steadfast in upholding its foundational principles of democracy, good governance, and social justice. These principles shall at all times guide our actions and decisions as we strive for the betterment of our nation. We urge all stakeholders to remain committed to the ideals of unity and progress for the prosperity of all Kenyans,” he stated.
Today President Ruto was in Meru and Mombasa to explain his appointing of four ODM leaders into his cabinet.
“Siwezi Endesha Serikali Pekee Yangu” Ruto told crowds in his rallies. That is a good idea but the one thing that scared some of us is that maybe President Ruto is saying something else.
That would be “Siwezi Kuiba Public Money Pekee Yangu”. If that is the case then Kenyans are in trouble because he needs help in that Kuiba business to make that work better for him but let’s look at the political landscape which is unravelling after President made the Cabinet appointments from ODM members.
On the other side, the Azimio Coalition is for all practical purposes dead and that is not surprising because this electoral coalitions never last more than one election cycle.
Cracks Widen In Azimio As Kalonzo Faction Says ‘Not Interested’ In Joining Ruto Gov’t
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka, Eugene Wamalwa and Jeremiah Kioni have vowed to reject any dealings with the Kenya Kwanza administration, even as they claim that there is a plot by President William Ruto to weaken the opposition by absorbing some of its members in government.
This as the differences in the opposition coalition party continued to widen following the inclusion of ODM members in the Cabinet.
Kalonzo of the Wiper party, DAP-K’s Wamalwa and the Jubilee Secretary General Kioni termed the move as motivated by individual ambitions.
“We are not a party to it. This is an individual approach, any person joining government should know that he or she bears the blood of the Gen Zs killed,” Kalonzo said.
Narc Kenya formally exits Azimio coalition
Narc Kenya has formally announced its exit from the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition.
The decision, outlined in a letter dated July 25, 2024, from Acting Secretary General Asha Bashir to Junet Mohammed, Secretary General of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Secretariat, signals a response to the changing political landscape.
The letter succinctly explains the rationale behind the departure.
“Kindly take note that our stay in Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition is not tenable due to the prevailing political developments. As NARC Kenya, by way of this letter, we are giving notice to exit the Coalition as stipulated in the exit clause(s) in the Coalition Agreement. This notice is effective from the date of this letter,” the letter read.
The bottom line is that all the political coalitions which run for 2022 General Elections are going to break into pieces and that includes UDA and KK. Where is Rigathi Gachagua today?
Where exactly is Narc Kenya with Martha going? What are they doing as 60 Kenyan youth have been reported killed by the Kenya police and 66 of our young people are missing which means they could all be dead according to KNCHR report on July 25, 2024?
What has Martha Karua or Kalonzo Musyoka done to address that whole tragedy for the Gen Z fighting for a better country for all Kenyans? Nothing. I have never in my life seen “Doing Nothing” as a political platform for political groups in a country with so much state terrorism and killings by police.
Oh Martha and Kalonzo say this a fight for young people and we want to stay away from it. Are you nuts? This is a fight for the whole country to live better and Kenyans are being killed and abducted in that battle for our country. Do you have anything to offer? If no, that is okay just keep doing what you are doing.
Why is Raila Odinga and the ODM such a big issue for the Azimio partners like Kalonzo and Karua and they do nothing about Kenyans being killed and disappeared and do not even have a remote agenda to address that? Their agenda now is 2027 and who will run for Azimio or Opposition.
Excuse me it is July 2024 and Kenya has three years to get to your dreams. How do they live now when Gen Z protestors are being murdered in the streets by the Ruto government? That is what Kenyans are dealing with now not 2027 General Elections.
The electoral formations and coalitions that will run for the 2027 elections are not even remotely formed yet. They will come because the country is going to be politically active all the way.
Right now the country’s biggest demand to Raila Odinga and ODM, Kalonzo Musyoka and Wiper, Martha Karua and Narc Kenya to President William Ruto who said “Siwezi Endesha Serikali Pekee Yangu” is to have an ID and Voter Registration for six continuous months starting as soon as the IEBC commissioners are appointed and that should be started in the next month because there are no more excuses as the law for IEBC has been signed.
If the Ruto government and our opposition politicians can get the Gen Z to register as voters so they can choose the leaders of their country it would be one of the greatest achievements of this Gen Z revolution and for Kenya probably in our entire life as a country.
What is the problem with that? This is one small thing the country’s political leadership can do for Kenya today. Give the citizens including the Gen Z Kenyans the chance to get their voting cards and shape their country. And in fact if that happens the Gen Z Kenyans may just relent and go for the voting cards to discipline the politicians when the election comes.
