Azimio La Umoja Alliance in Turmoil as Raila’s Moves Raise Questions About Karua’s Role

Tensions are escalating within the Azimio La Umoja alliance amid allegations that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga is distancing himself from Martha Karua, the chairperson of Narc Kenya, who was his running mate in the previous presidential election.

The Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition’s dialogue team faces a challenging mission as it attempts to oppose the proposal for establishing the Office of the Leader of the Opposition. Concerns are emerging that this move could prove problematic and potentially disrupt the coalition significantly.

The creation of this office is a central focus for the Kenya Kwanza Alliance during ongoing negotiations. In their vision, President William Ruto’s coalition envisions an opposition funded by taxpayers to perform oversight functions.

Nevertheless, reliable sources indicate that Martha Karua and her team feel marginalized due to Raila Odinga’s decision to appoint former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka as the leader of the Azimio team responsible for engaging with the Kenya Kwanza Alliance during the ongoing bipartisan discussions at the Bomas of Kenya.

One of the critical issues under discussion is the establishment of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and the role of its deputy.

If the two teams reach an agreement on establishing the two offices, Raila Odinga is poised to become the official leader of the opposition. However, it is the position of his deputy that has become a point of contention within the opposition coalition.

Based on her previous role as Raila Odinga’s running mate, Martha Karua would be expected to assume the role of Deputy Opposition leader. Nevertheless, it now appears that Kalonzo Musyoka is the one slated to occupy this position.

According to political analyst Dr. Charles Nyambuga, he stated on August 13, 2023, that if Kalonzo Musyoka secures the position of Leader of the Official Opposition, it would give him a strategic advantage over the other Azimio principals, potentially elevating his influence within the coalition.

“He has the ability to mobilize. After Raila, Kalonzo comes next in terms of strong solid support base. None of the other Azimio principals has such solid backing. Definitely, he is on top of them,” he remarked on August 13th.

While some Azimio members are considering this idea, others believe that creating an office funded by the State could weaken the opposition. The situation remains fluid, and developments in these bipartisan talks are eagerly awaited.