- The reaffirmation comes at a time the Azimio coalition is facing split due to the diverse opinion on whether or not to work with Ruto.
- Ruto on Wednesday made public his final list of Cabinet nominees and left out Narc Kenya and Wiper party allies.
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Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka has reiterated his stance that he won't join forces with President William Ruto in the government of national unity.
The reaffirmation comes at a time the Azimio coalition is facing split due to the diverse opinion on whether or not to work with Ruto.
Speaking on Friday in Othaya, Nyeri county, Kalonzo said that even the President himself is well aware that they can't work together.
"They think that I, Kalonzo Musyoka can join their government? I can't, my conscience will not allow me, for the love of this nation we will stand. Even President William Ruto knows that I will be his opposition, that he openly knows," Kalonzo said.
The former Vice President was speaking during the symbolic ceremony for Priesthood for Prophetess Leah Overflow at the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa in Kihome, Othaya constituency, Nyeri county.
Ruto on Wednesday made public his final list of Cabinet nominees save for two slots: Attorney General and EAC and the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of East African Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), and Regional Development.
Among the nominees were four members of Azimio who are close allies to coalition chief Raila Odinga.
Ruto nominated former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho in the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy; Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives and MSME Development); John Mbadi (National Treasury) and Opiyo Wandayi to head the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum.
Narc Kenya and Wiper party allies were left out in Ruto’s latest nomination to the Cabinet.
The move was received with mixed reactions from leaders and Kenyans alike.
Some have celebrated inclusion of the ODM luminaries in the nominees' list while others expressed dissatisfaction.
Narc Kenya and Wiper are the two Azimio constituent parties that have consistently declined to be part of the government of national unity mooted by Ruto following a series of street protests sparked by the passage of the unpopular Finance Bill, 2024.
Narc Kenya headed by Martha Karua on Thursday issued notice to exit from the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition.
Karua in a tweet on X said “Our stay in Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance is no longer tenable”.
The official notice of divorce was communicated in a letter addressed to coalition secretary general Junet Mohammed by acting secretary general Asha Bashir.
“Kindly take note that our stay in Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition is not tenable due to the prevailing political developments,” she said.
“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,” she added.