Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party leader Dr. Oburu Oginga declared the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party “dead and buried,” signalling the party’s imminent formal withdrawal.
Speaking on Wednesday, February 11, during the ODM National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Mombasa, Oburu sharply criticised former President Uhuru Kenyatta for naming Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka as Azimio’s coalition leader without consulting ODM.
He maintained that as the majority party in the coalition, ODM’s concurrence was mandatory in any major decision.
“ODM was the biggest party in Azimio. There is no one who can make a decision in the coalition without the concurrence of ODM,” Oburu said. “You cannot purport to appoint a new leader of Azimio, excluding and bypassing ODM. If ODM has not agreed, then there is nothing like a resolution of Azimio.”
The leadership reshuffle, chaired by Uhuru, also saw the removal of National Assembly Minority Leader and Suna West MP Junet Mohamed as the coalition’s Secretary General – a move that further escalated tensions.
Oburu dismissed attempts to revitalise the coalition, arguing that Azimio had long ceased functioning as a cohesive political entity.
“Azimio was dead when ODM left it. We left a long time ago. It is only a formality that we have not performed and which we are going to perform very soon. We are going to exit that moribund organisation called Azimio,” he declared. “Somebody should not be flaunting something that he knows is moribund, that he knows is dead. You are raising the dead from the grave.”
The Azimio coalition was initially formed to back Raila Odinga’s 2022 presidential bid. However, since the election, internal disagreements and questions over strategic direction have reportedly strained relations among affiliate parties.
In a significant political shift, Oburu also announced that ODM would continue supporting the government while consolidating its base ahead of the 2027 General Election. He indicated that the party is open to negotiations with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), but would not hesitate to pursue an independent candidacy if talks collapse.
“That is the position of the party, and I am very happy with it. That is what we have been pursuing,” he said.
ODM’s formal exit would substantially weaken Azimio and reshape the opposition landscape. Political analysts now anticipate intensified realignments as parties reposition themselves for 2027.
With ODM charting what appears to be an independent course, the future of the once formidable Azimio coalition hangs in the balance.
