From Uhuru's returns to leadership shake-up: Inside Azimio la Umoja's revival plan

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka during a requiem mass at Holy Family Minor Basilica, Nairobi. [File, Standard] Former President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday chaired a rare Azimio Council meeting and announced drastic leadership changes in the Coalition party, which points to a retired president who is warming up to another duel, though indirectly, with his former deputy, President William Ruto. Uhuru appointed Wiper Patriotic Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka as the party leader and kicked out National Assembly Minority leader Junet Mohammed from the position of the Council's Secretary. Kalonzo now replaces the late ODM leader Raila Odinga as Suba South MP Caroli Omondi replaces Junet Mohamed. Omondi, a harsh critic of President William Ruto's administration, will now be in charge of disseminating the Azimio Council's decisions to the public and to Parliament. The removal of Junet as the coalition's Secretary General spells several risks to him, including the possibility of losing his position as National Assembly Minority Leader, as he holds the position in trust for the Azimio coalition party and not ODM party. As the Secretary General of the coalition party, Junet had been secured by the Azimio national governing council, a position which is now at stake after he was kicked out. His incessant outbursts against Uhuru, the leader of the party are considered to have contributed to his removal. "Following the resolutions of the 2nd February of the Azimio one Kenya Coalition Party's council and National Executive Committee, the party notifies the public of the change of the following officials: the new party leader is Kalonzo Musyoka, the new Secretary General is Karoli Omondi," read an advert in today's dailies. The office of the Registrar of political parties, through its Chief Executive Officer, John Cox Lorionokou, acknowledged receipt of the resolutions and advised the party to publish the changes in line with section 20 of the Political Parties Act. "This office acknowledges receipt of your letter dated February 2 on the joint meeting of the Azimio council and the national Executive Council submitting documents such as a notice dated January 29 convening the meeting, resolutions of the meeting, a letter dated February 2 to Junet on his removal from office, a statutory form PP7 on the change of officials and the attendance list," the letter read. Among those who attended the Monday evening meeting chaired by Uhuru were Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, former Jubilee Executive Director Raphael Tuju, Jubilee Secretary General Moitalel Ole Kenta, among other leaders. Junet's continued dalliance with President Ruto's administration was not taken lightly by the Council with members agreeing that he was promoting ideas of another political entity and not the one that had accorded him his position. Kalonzo now replaces the late ODM leader Raila Odinga as Suba South MP Caroli Omondi replaces Junet Mohamed. Speaking to The Standard, Tuju, who held the position of Executive Director of the Azimio Council until his resignation, said they followed the law to make the changes, including his resignation. Tuju's position has now been taken by Philip Kisia. On his part, Kisia said the meeting resolved to rebrand in a bid to respond to the citizens' wishes, saying the coalition will be citizen-driven and will uphold the 'listening to the ground' mantra. "We gave Kalonzo the mandate to reach out to like-minded political leaders who will join our alliance as we approach next year's polls. By responding to Kenyans, we shall rebrand in a bid to allow the political players to join our movement," said Kisia. As to whether Omondi would write to the Speaker of the National Assembly to seek leadership changes in the house by virtue of his new position in Azimio, Kisia said, "That Secretary General can only write to the Speaker after a resolution by NEC, that we have not done ". However, Jubilee Deputy Party leader Jeremiah Kioni said the role of the Secretary General of the Azimio coalition party entails communicating the resolutions of the NEC, such as a leadership shakeup in Parliament. "Junet has no control of his position after he was kicked out of Azimio. NEC may decide to replace him with Omondi or even any other MP from the Azimio Coalition Party," Kioni said. The leadership changes came at a time when the National Liberal Party headed by Augustus Muli has petitioned the Registrar of Political Parties seeking clarity on the Azimio coalition Party's legal status, registered membership, leadership structure, and finances. Former Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, former President Uhuru Kenyatta and the late ODM leader Raila Odinga show solidarity after Raila was unveiled as the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition flag bearer at a rally held at Jacaranda Grounds in Embakasi, Nairobi, on March 12, 2022. [File, Standard] Muli accused some constituent parties of hoarding coalition-linked funds at the expense of smaller partners, warning that the practice risks weakening and deregistering less resourced parties. "As parties languish and face deregistration because of the cost of recruitment and running offices, some partner parties are hoarding millions of shillings in banks courtesy of our coalition," Muli said, questioning Azimio's operational relevance, arguing that the coalition has been largely inactive and paralysed by internal power struggles. "Azimio's last meaningful engagement was last year during the selection of the IEBC panel, where an election produced a winner the leadership did not want. That dispute cost the country eight months in court," Muli said. Junet's removal comes barely a month after he dragged Uhuru's name into the controversy around mismanaged funds for agents during the 2022 general election. He accused Uhuru of failing to help Raila ascend to the presidency. "Former President Uhuru Kenyatta released the funds meant for election agents to his blood brother, Muhoho Kenyatta, who then appointed one Mr Patrick Mburu to take charge of the recruitment and payment of agents," Junet claimed. Last month, Kioni accused Junet of betraying the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition during its struggle for control of the National Assembly following the 2022 General Election. "We in Azimio were also betrayed by Junet Mohamed. He never participated in our demonstrations or the fight for the parliamentary majority. When we finally won, he worked with Wetang'ula to block the judgment. Today, he sits as a minority leader speaking for the majority. In parliamentary committees, he was responsible for giving slots meant for Jubilee members to other parties," Kioni said. Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party is the only registered coalition political party, while Taifa Democratic Coalition and Kenya Kwanza Alliance are the registered coalitions. It was formed on March 12, 2022, as a coalition party anchored on unity, reforms and democratic ideals, initially bringing together 26 registered political parties where osme had defected to Ruto's alliances.

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