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Why Kalonzo missed Azimio executive summit - Raila

The executive summit is the coalition party's top decision making organ.

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by BRIAN ORUTA

News30 January 2024 - 12:47
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In Summary


  • • Raila said that the former vice president is travelling to South Sudan for other engagements.
  • • The former Prime Minister said that there has been a lot of narratives being run by the media on Azimio, insisting that it is all fabrications.
Press Briefing by the Executive Summit of the Azimio One Kenya Coalition Party on January 30, 2024.

Azimio leader Raila Odinga has explained Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka's absence from Tuesday's Executive Summit of the Azimio One Kenya Coalition Party.

Speaking to the media after the summit, Raila said that the former vice president is travelling to South Sudan for other engagements.

The former Prime Minister said that there have been a lot of narratives surrounding Azimio further insisting that they are all fabrications.

Raila at the same time rubbished reports of an alleged split in the Opposition coalition saying the outfit is intact.

"Kalonzo Musyoka is travelling out of the country. He's travelling to South Sudan today, that's why he's not here.

"There has been a lot of speculation in the media that Azimio is splitting, Azimio is convening meetings which have not been held. That is all trash and media propaganda," Raila said on Tuesday.

The meeting was held at Raila's Capitol Hill office.

Eugene Wamalwa who read part of their statement noted that the meeting had Kalonzo's blessing.

The Executive Summit of the Azimio One Kenya Coalition Party was attended by representatives of constituent parties, including party leaders Martha Karua (Narc Kenya), Eugene Wamalwa (DAP-K), George Wajackoyah (Roots Party) and Mwangi wa Iria (Usawa kwa Wote).

Former Agriculture CS Peter Munya, former Governor Ndiritu Muriithi (Laikipia), Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni and National Assembly minority leader Opiyo Wandayi were also present, among other leaders from the coalition.

A few days ago, the Star reported an imminent disintegration of the once gigantic coalition that nearly took over power in the 2022 general election.

The latest signal of trouble in Azimio was the absence of all the Azimio principals at the memorial for Raila's father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.

Odinga's family, led by Raila, hosted leaders in Kisumu to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the death of their father.

Not a single Azimio principal attended.

Only Mama Margaret Kenyatta, the wife of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, attended the event.

At the centre of the split is also the bipartisan report that Narc Kenya Party leader Martha Karua and her DAP-K counterpart Eugene Wamalwa disavowed.

This has seen Karua and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka clash publicly, exposing the bad blood. 

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