Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua has criticized Wiper counterpart Kalonzo Musyoka for allegedly wrecking the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition from within.
Mutua, in a statement on Tuesday morning, expressed his reservations over an attempt by the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) that is led by Musyoka to stop the registration of the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition party.
OKA yesterday wrote to the Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu objecting the listing of the coalition agreement on grounds that the document had been altered without their consent.
In what could stir a fresh storm in Azimio, the Musyoka-led caucus wants the coalition to iron out issues surrounding selection of the coalition’s presidential running mate before the agreement is fully registered.
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OKA, comprising Wiper, Kenya African National Union (KANU), United Democratic Party (UDP), and The Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG), also questioned why the number of caucuses in the coalition was increased to four from three without their input.
The alliance says the number of caucuses that had been agreed upon was three as of April 1, 2022, but was presented as four on April 9, 2022.
The increment of the members of the coalition council under the Coalition Political Party from the initial seven to eleven has also caused jitters within OKA.
“It is apparent that the Agreement lodged on the 1st April 202 was withdrawn and certain clauses amended or altered without the consent of all the parties and signatories,” OKA said in a letter dated April 11.
The inclusion of Mutua-led Mwanzo Mpya caucus into Azimio is one of the issues that has made OKA uncomfortable.
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Responding to OKA’s letter, Mutua accused Musyoka of an attempt to exclude other parties in the Azimio marriage.
“I would urge OKA and all our partners in Azimio become more accommodative, not only to Mwanzo Mpya as the fourth leg, but to any other political outfit that wishes to join Azimo. We must not lose sight that we are looking for victory and politics is about numbers,” said Mutua.
“…I cannot find any other reasons for demanding that others be excluded and only a special outfit that creates an “Azimio La Utenganishi” be recognized. This political selfishness is the problem that we have faced in this country – of leaders and opportunists who whine and blackmail all the time and who put their personal interests and not those of Wananchi first.”
Mutua said Mwanzo Mpya caucus was admitted into the leadership of Azimio after consultation with Raila Odinga, the Azimio presidential candidate in the August General Election.
“We were all working well together in the spirit of UMOJA before the document that OKA is insisting be reinstated. The document was creating a power base of only three parties – Jubillee, ODM and Wiper, excluding all other parties of AZIMIO from democratic participation in AZIMIO.
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He said the document was laced with phrases and jargon that would have led to zoning, giving preference to the three parties and excluding the other parties from effectively participating in the general elections.
“To cure all these issues Raila Odinga, in his wisdom and spirit of inclusivity, chaired a meeting of all parties allied to Azimio where a caucus called Mwanzo Mpya representing the other parties in AZIMIO, was admitted into the leadership Apex,” he added.
“I urge Raila Odinga and the other players in Azimio not to bow down to blackmail and extortion but to stand firm in championing for democracy, inclusion, politics of transformation, wealth creation, peace and stability in Kenya.”
Morning. I am shortly issuing a press release in response to this 👇🏾letter by OKA. We will not allow anyone to affect the victory of @RailaOdinga
We will not be tricked into boardroom discussions that take us away from the ground where we should be campaigning for @AzimioUmoja pic.twitter.com/2PViK7MH0a— Dr. Alfred N. Mutua (@DrAlfredMutua) April 12, 2022
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