Jubilee, KANU pull out of Azimio’s public rallies

The Jubilee and KANU parties under the Azimio la Umoja coalition have distanced themselves from the nationwide public rallies planned by the coalition’s leader Raila Odinga.

This is even as Odinga vows to “bring down President Ruto’s system” in the countrywide demonstrations which are set to kick off on Wednesday, December 7, at the Kamukunji Grounds in Nairobi.

“On the 7th of December, at the historic Kamukunji grounds here in Nairobi, we will launch public consultations with the people of Kenya to brainstorm on the direction the country is taking,” Odinga said on Friday after meeting Azimio leaders from Nairobi County.

The demos stem from the ongoing probe of four Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners by Parliament.

The four; Juliana Cherera, Irene Masit, Francis Wanderi and Justus Nyang’aya are being grilled after petitions were filed challenging their suitability to hold office, following their disowning of the August 9 Election presidential results.

Nyang’anya resigned on Friday.

“We will return to the Kamukunji grounds on 12th December to continue with these consultations on the state of the Kenyan nation and also to have a prayer for democracy in our country which is right now under threat by this administration,” Odinga said.

He accuses President Ruto of a ploy to rig the 2027 elections following suspension of the four, as well as what he terms as skewed public appointments.

Sources close to Jubilee and KANU have told Citizen Digital that the two parties are not part of the rallies.

They said although they are still in the Azimio coalition, they will not participate in the demonstrations, without giving further details.

Their decision further fuels speculation that the Odinga-led outfit is experiencing divisions.

Early this month, a section of Jubilee Party MPs threatened to leave the coalition after Fatuma Dullo’s name was removed from the list of members allowed to sit in the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC).

Senators allied to the coalition would later call a press conference to dispel breakup rumours, maintaining that the coalition is still strong. 

Led by Narok senator Ledama Olekina, the senators claimed they had held a meeting with the coalition's leaders (Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and Uhuru Kenyatta) and assured them that there are no differences among leaders in Azimio in the Senate.