ODM leader Raila Odinga’s presidential bid has received a major setback after eight fringe parties to the recently formed Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party issued fresh demands.
In a media briefing on Wednesday, April 6, are now threatening to walk out over what they termed as the lack of inclusivity and consultations in making key decisions in the coalition.
Among other issues raised by the group is the feeling that the Azimio leadership is made up of three parties including Jubilee, ODM, and Wiper leaving out other members who the group says founded the coalition.
In a joint statement read by Maendeleo Chap Chap party leader Alfred Mutua, the parties said they have not seen the document they are being pushed to sign stating that they will quit the coalition if the agreement is not renegotiated within the next 48 hours.
“Coalitions agreement documents have not been shown to us and yet they are insisting that we should sign. We will not agree to this,
“The document needs to be renegotiated to ensure that all interests are taken care of. The agreement should not be decided by three parties,” Mutua said.
The group further said they will not be part of the zoning saying that their candidates had already registered.
“As explained we have our candidates across the country hence we cannot subject our members to such zoning programs that they are trying to bring. We must be listened to in order to fully join them. It must be known that time is running out but we still have options that we can invoke anytime,” Mutua said.
The parties involved in the declaration include Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap Party, the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) associated with Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa, Muungano party led by Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana, Chama Cha Uzalendo, and Kenya Reforms Party among others.
