ODM Party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has reaffirmed the unity of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition, urging Kenyans to ignore detractors and leaders who spread misinformation.
Sifuna emphasized that all parties within the Azimio coalition are united, stating, “Vyama vyote tanzu vya Azimio viko pamoja, vimeungana. Hakuna mgogoro ndani ya muungano mzima wa Azimio,” which translates to, “All parties in the Azimio coalition are united. There is no discord within the entire coalition.”
He assured that the coalition remains committed to fulfilling its role as the minority party in Parliament and promised to keep the media informed about any developments within the ODM party.
This statement follows reports suggesting that some leaders were pushing for former President Uhuru Kenyatta to call an emergency meeting to expel Raila Odinga from the coalition. The reported reason was Odinga’s alleged agreement with President William Ruto, which some leaders felt made it untenable for Odinga and his ODM party to stay in the coalition. The leaders involved included Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Peter Munya (PNU), Eugene Wamalwa (DAP-Kenya), and Jeremiah Kioni (Jubilee).
Munya stated, “Those who want to join the government should do so formally. This is the restructuring we are advocating for. This meeting must occur within the next 14 days.” He emphasized the need for a thorough restructuring to prepare the party for future elections, advocating for cleaning up the existing coalition rather than starting anew.
In addition to his role as Jubilee party leader, Uhuru Kenyatta serves as the Azimio council chairman, with Raila Odinga leading the coalition. This comes after President William Ruto appointed key ODM leaders to Cabinet positions, including Raila’s deputies Hassan Joho (Mining and Blue Economy) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives and MSMEs), as well as ODM chairman John Mbadi (National Treasury) and National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi (Energy).
