- It has emerged that the Wiper boss would have to first address a host of issues that pose hurdles to his bid.
- Eugene Wamalwa and Jeremiah Kioni have endorsed Kalonzo as the coalition’s leader saying Raila’s AUC job bid makes his position as the coalition’s leader untenable.
Image: KALONZO MUSYOKA / X
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s aggressive push to take over the leadership of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya is fraught with political hurdles.
The former vice president is keen on succeeding ex-Prime Minister Raila Odinga as the leader of the opposition to bolster his presidential chances in 2027.
Raila, who has been the country’s de facto opposition leader for decades, has announced his decision to go slow on local politics as he eyes the African Union Commission Chairperson seat.
Raila could exit the country’s political scene if he secures the AUC job in the February 2025 continental elections as he would be required to be apolitical and impartial.
With Kalonzo’s camp hoping to take over from Raila, it has emerged that the Wiper boss would have to first address a host of issues that pose hurdles to his bid.
The Wiper leader must secure the support of the majority of the Azimio Council members in order to be elevated as the coalition’s leader.
The Azimio Council is the superior decision-making organ of the opposition coalition with select political party leaders forming its membership.
The current membership of Azimio includes former President Uhuru Kenyatta as the leader of the Jubilee party and the council chairperson and Raila who is the coalition’s leader.
Other council members are Kalonzo, Junet Mohamed who is the council’s secretary general, Kanu Chairman Gideon Moi, Narc leader Charity Ngilu, former DAP-K party leader Wafula Wamunyinyi, Narc Kenya boss Martha Karua, former Taita Taveta MP Naomi Shaban and nominated MP Sabina Chege.
Karua has since written to the coalition seeking to withdraw from the coalition.
With Kalonzo expected to rally the council to accept his bid as its leader, the push faces an uphill task as those keen to install him are not members of the council.
The Azimio council is the organ that is mandated by the coalition party’s constitution to make leadership changes including installing a new leader.
Some of the politicians pushing to install Kalonzo as the Azimio leader are not members of the council including DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa and Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni.
Both Wamalwa and Kioni have endorsed Kalonzo as the coalition’s leader saying Raila’s AUC job bid makes his position as the coalition’s leader untenable.
Kioni said that the leader of Azimio going forward is Kalonzo insisting that there is “no doubt about it".
“Azimio is strong and solid under the leadership of former vice president Kalonzo Musyoka," Kioni said.
“We have said time and again that we wish the former prime minister all the best in his AUC job bid and as he exits the stage, the coalition is under the able leadership of Kalonzo Musyoka."
Kalonzo had on Tuesday declared that he is the leader of Azimio as Raila was being unveiled by President William Ruto as Kenya’s candidate for the AUC job.
Kioni, Wamalwa and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino were present in Kalonzo’s meeting that allegedly installed the Wiper leader as the coalition’s boss.
“I am not at State House because I want to show you that I am the official opposition leader," Kalonzo declared on Tuesday.
While Wamalwa took over the DAP-K party leadership from Wamunyinyi and the same changes were ratified by the registrar of political parties, no changes were made at the Azimio Council.
This means that Wamunyinyi continues to feature in the records maintained by the office of the registrar of political parties as a member of the Azimio council.
Former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, it has emerged, resigned as the chairperson of the Azimio National Executive after he was named into the cabinet.
Ex-Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, who was named into the Cabinet as well, resigned as a council member to join the government.
Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu has confirmed that both Oparanya and Joho resigned as members of the Azimio council.
According to Nderitu, Joho and Oparanya have not been replaced at the Azimio council.
“Apart from those who resigned, the leadership of the coalition remains as it was in April 2022," Nderitu said.
“It is the council which has the mandate of sitting and making changes in the coalition leadership structure."
Kalonzo is said to be planning to run for president in 2027 amid reports that he is reaching out to more political heavyweights including Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for a deal.
The Wiper leader, who first ran for president in 2007, has been traversing the country in a bid to court new allies to bolster his State House bid after Ruto and Raila started working together.
The poaching of ODM bigwigs, Oparanya and Joho, into Ruto’s cabinet among John Mbadi, Opiyo Wandayi and Beatrice Askul confirmed Ruto’s collaboration with the ODM party.
Analysts argue that President Ruto could work with Raila for a political deal to shore up his reelection chances in the 2027 polls.
Speaking during his tour of Luo Nyanza, Ruto hinted at a possible 2027 deal with Raila's ODM party.
"I hope you understand these things. There will be some pronouncements we will make in future. But for now, let's concentrate on development and then we will make major plans later," Ruto said on Wednesday.