Published on July 26, 2024 by Agencies for Kenya Online News
Last Updated on 2 years by Agencies for Kenya Online News
The 2022 presidential elections opposition leader Raila Odinga’s running-mate Martha Karua’s party has officially announced its exit from the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition.
The decision by NARC Kenya, is outlined in a letter dated July 25, 2024, to Junet Mohammed, Secretary General of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Secretariat, signals a response to the changing political landscape.
The letter from NARC Kenya Acting Secretary General Asha Bashir succinctly explains the rationale behind the departure.
“Kindly take note that our stay in Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition is not tenable due to the prevailing political developments. 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,” the letter read.
Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua also posted the letter on her account on X, formerly Twitter, underscoring the party’s firm stance.
The unfolding political dynamics in Kenya signal a period of significant realignment and heightened tensions as the nation approaches critical political milestones.
The decision by Narc Kenya to leave Azimio comes even as Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka on Thursday, July 25, 2024, dismissed cracks within the political outfit.
He affirmed that ODM party leader Raila Odinga was still Azimio’s leader even though the coalition does not support the nomination of its members to Ruto’s cabinet.
The Azimio faction condemned the nomination of ODM members to Ruto’s cabinet, calling it an attempt to weaken the opposition.
“As Azimio, we note that Ruto has nominated the top leadership of one of our constituent parties ODM to his cabinet. With this move, he has attempted to destroy multiparty democracy and seized control of the parliamentary system,” Jeremiah Kioni stated.
Kioni went on to accuse President Ruto of silencing opposition voices and undermining Kenya’s democratic framework.
“Ruto’s continued cannibalization of political parties, as he has done with Jubilee and now with ODM, goes against the letter and spirit of the constitution of Kenya. It also offends the National Dialogue Committee (Nadco) report. We believe that Ruto is an existential threat to our democracy and must be resisted even as we say ‘Ruto must go’,” he added.
