Governor Mutua severs ties with Azimio La Umoja, inks deal with Kenya Kwanza

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua has ditched the Azimio La Umoja coalition and joined the Deputy President William Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza coalition.

Addressing the press at a Nairobi hotel on Monday, Dr. Mutua said his Maendeleo Chap Chap (MCC) party had sealed the deal on Sunday night, adding that he has copies of the agreement, “unlike in Azimio”.

The Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu on Monday morning confirmed that MCC, alongside Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi’s Pamoja African Alliance party, had written to her office expressing intention to leave the Azimio Coalition.

“I have received only two (requests of parties wanting to leave the Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition party); the Maendeleo Chap Chap and the Pamoja African Alliance,” Ms. Nderitu told Citizen TV on the Day Break show.

The MCC party claims it has been kept in the dark over the Azimio la Umoja affairs and it has been unable to access the coalition agreement or understand its terms.

“As a party we have been excluded from Azimio line-ups, campaign programs and funding. We have also not been shown, or even allowed to discuss what our roles would be after the elections,” said Mutua.

“This lack of clarity plus the sidelining has sent a very clear message to us: akufukuzaye hakwambii toka.”

Mutua has in recent weeks bemoaned a slew of issues at the Raila Odinga-led coalition, among them hurdles in getting  a copy of the Azimio coalition agreement that was deposited with the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties.

“The registrar of political parties (ORPP) and Azimio coalition party have refused to give us a copy of the Azimio coalition agreement deposited with the ORPP we signed to form the coalition,” Mutua tweeted on Friday, May 6.

“MCC party in today’s Governing Council meeting decided to go to court and demand to get the document so as to see what changes have been made, if any. It's unfortunate that we're in a coalition relationship whose members have to go to court to get what's their automatic right." 

Mutua raised suspicion that the said lack of transparency could result in some aspirants being locked out of the August elections at the last minute.

He added that the party's governing council would on Monday, May 9, make a decision "on the way forward."

“What games are they playing? On Monday, May 9th, 2022, the party will make a decision on the way forward bearing in mind the plans to zone our party aspirants out and the deadlines set by law," said Mutua.

He added: "There is a clear and present danger that aspirants in parties in Azimio will be denied their democratic opportunity to be on the ballot. This we cannot accept."

FORD-Kenya leader Moses Wetangula was among the leaders who welcomed Mutua into the Kenya Kwanza camp, saying his entry is an assurance of victory in the August polls.

Tweeted Wetangula early Monday morning ahead of Mutua’s announcement : “Congratulations Maendeleo Chap Chap and PAA political parties for joining the Kenya Kwanza Alliance Coalition. Your entry brings in additional energy and guarantees, even more, KKA’s assured victory in the August 9th General elections. Hongera”.