Azimio parties ask Kalonzo to drop conditions on Raila deal

Two Azimio affiliate parties have asked the One Kenya Alliance to quickly seal its political deal with ODM leader Raila Odinga but without conditions.

The parties spoke as Oka cancelled a planned ceremony to sign its own coalition agreement, exposing growing cracks.

Narc leader Charity Ngilu and the DAP-K's Wafula Wamunyinyi told off Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka over his push for a 2017 pre-election Nasa deal.

"We also wish to welcome the Oka team and their resolution to join Azimio and urge them to conclude their negotiations soon," the two parties said.

"This will enable Azimio ship to set sail towards formation of the next government without too many conditions or a protracted process."

In a joint statement, the leaders argued that Kalonzo's claim that Raila should honour the Nasa deal cannot hold water.

"With greatest respect to Kalonzo, introducing Nasa issues in the Azimio engagement is tantamount to flogging a dead horse," they said.

They said Kenyans are aware that Nasa is dead and buried and the death certificate was issued by the Registrar of Political Parties.

"Just like they say in marriage 'until death do as apart' the Nasa marriage is dead and should not affect nor be dragged into the Azimio," they said.

The two parties, which have endorsed Raila's presidential bid argued that should Oka finally agree to join Azimio, then they will have a broader alliance.

"We are pleased that Azimio stool is no longer three- legged with Oka coming on board, it is now a four-legged stool and if it was a table it is now a more stable one," they said.

Kalonzo has continued to argue that Oka should join Azimio as a coalition and not as individual parties, an issue that is said to be at the heart of the deadlock.

Raila's team is said to be keen on each party joining Azimio as an individual thus creating a big table to negotiate power.

Kalonzo is insisting on a three-legged stool of Azimio-Oka and Jubilee. 

"As the late Vice president Wamalwa Kijana used to say ; 'a good idea will always give way to a better idea' the three-legged Azimio stool was a good idea, but a four legged stool is  better because its more stronger and stable," Narc and DAP-K said.

The push could further precipitate a political deal between Raila and Kalonzo given that the two parties also backed the planned countrywide rallies.

Kalonzo had said he will not join the rallies until Raila commits to honouring their secret 2017 pact.

"We confirm our attendance and confirm our participation," the two parties said.

This comes as Oka postponed again the signing of their coalition agreement until next week.

The fledgling Oka outfit was expected to sign a binding legal document and unveil the coalition on Wednesday.

The principals on Wednesday issued a short statement saying the hitch had been caused by the need to relook at the agreement to iron out sticky issues.

"Respectively, we wish to assure Kenyans that the Oka constituent parties—the Wiper Democratic Movement, Kanu, Narc-K & UDP— are still interrogating the binding legal documents," Oka said in a statement.

Oka is made up of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Kanu's Gideon Moi, UDP's Cyrus Jirongo with Karua expected to formally join.

A day after Karua threw the outfit into confusion, the Narc Kenya boss on Wednesday led the joint statement at the Kalonzo Musyoka Command Centre.

"Nevertheless, we are committed to our unity. We will be letting you know the time we shall sign the agreement," Karua said.

Gideon said they are happy that the technical team was nearing completion of their work with only a few grey arrears being fixed.

"By this week they will be over and we will be good to go early next week," he said.

Karua's party had on Tuesday thrown a spanner in the works when it said it will need more time to study the draft deal formulated by the coalition's technical committee.

(Edited by Tabnacha O)