'Azimio died when ODM left!' Oburu announces formal exit

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Dr. Oburu Oginga has vehemently poured cold water on the Azimio la Umoja coalition, citing that the faction is on its deathbed and the party will formally seek to exit. 

Speaking in Mombasa ahead of National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Wednesday, the party leader dismissed the recent changes made by former Azimio Chairman President Uhuru Kenyatta, claiming that ODM, as the majority share in the coalition, was supposed to have been consulted before any decisions were arrived at.

Oburu added that the coalition already lost its influence once ODM 'left', noting that they will commence the formal exit process. 

"This thing called Azimio…we are Azimio. The strongest party of Azimio is ODM. There's no one who can decide without consulting ODM. You cannot purport to appoint a new leader in Azimio while excluding ODM," he stated. 

"Azimio was dead when ODM left it. We left it a long time ago, and it's only a formality that we have not performed and we will do it very soon. We're going to exit that organisation called Azimio."

He expressed confidence in steering the ODM party into negotiations with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) under the broad-based arrangement. 

"Having conferred this heavy responsibility of being the party leader of ODM, I'm fully aware that this process was initiated by the National Executive Committee... but I will try my best to move on and promote our party. Our party must keep growing from strength to strength," he remarked. 

"When our departed leader left us, he left us in some ground, which was called broad-based government. We have our partners, UDA and we're continuing to work hard to fulfill the arrangements that brought us together and one of them is the 10-point agenda. I'll make sure they're implemented to the letter."

His remarks come as the recent Azimio reshuffle made headlines following a meeting chaired by Azimio Chairman, retired President Uhuru Kenyatta. 

The disputed changes saw Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka appointed as the new Azimio coalition leader, Suba North MP Caroli Omondi named Secretary General, and veteran politician Philip Kisia appointed Executive Director. 

Junet Mohamed, who previously served as Secretary General, and former Executive Director Raphael Tuju were removed.

Days later, ODM dismissed the changes via a letter addressed to the Registrar of Political Parties. 

"It is our considered position that the ODM Party Leader, an expressly named and key constituent party under the Deed of Agreement, was neither informed nor involved in the purported changes," the letter read in part. 

"Consequently, the meeting and its resolutions were ultra vires, in contravention of the express provisions of the Deed of Agreement, and are therefore null and void."