Raila announces Azimio la Umoja to be registered as a coalition party next week

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga has announced that the Azimio la Umoja movement, which he is spearheading ahead of the August polls, will officially be registered as a political outfit next week.

This follows the Wednesday signing into law of the recently enacted Political Parties (Amendment) Bill of 2021 by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Odinga said upon registration of Azimio La Umoja, it will be all systems go to bring Kenyans together as he drums up support for his presidential bid.

"I'm happy that you people have joined ODM which is a member of the new group we are forming; Azimio la Umoja... Azimio la Umoja is going to be registered next week if not tomorrow... and we will start moving. Mtaona mambo mengi ikifanyika," he said.

The former prime minister was speaking on Thursday at Chungwa House as he welcomed a section of defectors from the Musalia Mudavadi-led Amani National Congress (ANC) party into ODM.

At the same time, he laughed off the new political dalliance bringing together Deputy President  William Ruto, Mudavadi and Ford-Kenya party leader Moses Wetangula.

He termed the new formation as a mere outfit of "birds of the same feather" with no better motive to serve Kenyans.

"Wale wengine wanabwekabweka.... nani amekufunga wewe? Kama unataka kwenda, kwenda kabisa...kwenda kabisan wazungu wanasema 'birds of the same feather flock together', kuna kitu ambayo inaunganisha hawa watu pamoja... si nyinyi mnajua?" posed Odinga.

“Tutatembea pamoja na wale wako na sera kama sisi... Karibuni tena. Kenya hii itachemka. Acheni kutishwa na hawa watu. Hii ni taka taka."

The ODM boss told the DP Ruto-led team to brace themselves for a tough political race starting next week.