With campaigns for the August presidential elections gaining momentum, there are concerns within Azimio la Umoja coalition as affiliate parties keep off the campaign where the ODM leader Raila Odinga has been in charge.
Since more than 20 parties signed a pact to join the yet-to-be registered Azimio la Umoja coalition, few if any, of their party leaders have accompanied the ODM leader on a campaign trail.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party with its party leader has been traversing the country while its key partners in the proposed coalition stay away.
The absence of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka on Raila’s campaign trail has been loud enough that some people have questioned his commitment to the Azimio la Umoja coalition.
Since declaring Raila Tosha at Jacaranda stadium when the former premier was announced as the Azimio presidential candidate, Kalonzo has not been seen campaigning together with Raila.
This is quite different from the Kenya Kwanza outfit, where Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula have been accompanying Deputy President William Ruto in his campaigns.
Some political pundits opine that the Kenya Kwanza team is more organized than the Azimio la Umoja even though supported by state actors.
Kalonzo missing Azimio campaigns
More interesting is that none of the Wiper leaders have been on Raila’s campaign trail since the party joined Azimio.
Even though Kalonzo has declared his support for Raila in the coming elections, his absence in campaigns speaks a lot.
Some people have suggested that the Wiper leaders are is waiting for Kalonzo to be named running mate before embarking on campaigning for Raila.
Currently, ODM leaders have been strongly campaigning for Raila’s fifth attempt at the presidency.
Apart from ODM leaders, Peter Kenyatta and a few Jubilee MPs namely Maina Kamanda and Kanini Kega have been visible in Raila Odinga’s campaign.
NARCK-Kenya party leader Martha Karua, who recently threw her weight behind the ODM leader, campaigned for Raila during his Western region tour last weekend.
During the Western tour, the senior leadership of the newly former DAP-K party also stayed away from Raila’s campaign trail.
Even having declared that it will field candidates in all positions except that of the president, it was strange for the Eugene Wamalwa-led party not to accompany Raila to Busia and Kakamega counties.
Azimio la Umoja, Raila in Mt Kenya
The Azimio la Umoja campaigns in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s backyard have also not picked up with strong force bearing in mind that the region will play a key role in shaping the outcome of the presidential election.
In fact, Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria recently wondered why the Azimio team has not set foot in the vote-rich region since Raila was declared its flag bearer.
“It is 64 days since Azimio had any serious activity in Mt Kenya region…..And Counting” Moses Kuria wrote on Facebook on March 28.
According to political observers, Mt Kenya leaders have put more effort into promoting the rejuvenated Jubilee party than promoting the Azimio formation.
Some people have questioned why, Mt Kenya aspirants are not using Raila Odinga’s image in their campaign materials such as billboards, T-shirts, and posters.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya is the only leader who has been seen publicly advocating for Raila Odinga’s presidency in the mountain.
In the Rift Valley region apart from Narok and Kajiodo counties, which are considered neutral grounds, the rest have no well know personalities selling Raila’s candidature.
What is strange is that most of the aspirants have opted to contest as independent candidates rather than join ODM, KANU, or even Jubilee.
