Revealed: Why there is major trouble in Azimio-One Kenya

The issue of a running mate is snowballing into a thorn in the flesh of Azimo-One Kenya Alliance, threatening the unity of the jumbo outfit.

The entry of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his Oka brigade has complicated the matrix and it is now turning into a make or break moment for the formation.

The choice one picks to be a running mate plays a crucial role in determining a presidential aspirant's chances of winning.

A highly placed source in the coalition pointed an accusing finger at the handshake brothers for reneging on an agreement to have Kalonzo pair with Raila.

Presidential aspirants have up to April 28 to submit their names alongside that of their running mates to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

According to the source, both Uhuru and Raila were open to having the Wiper boss as Odinga's running mate until last week when it appeared the handshake partners were considering appeasing Mt Kenya with the coveted position.

“Before Wiper and Oka joined Azimio, the running mate was to come from Mt Kenya but the same was shelved to have Kalonzo on board to give Azimio realistic chances of winning,” the source said.

“Of late, we have seen some reluctance on the commitment but we hope our principals will be able to see the bigger picture.”

It is on this background Oka faction wrote to the Registrar of Political Parties to halt the ongoing process of registering Azimio-One Kenya Alliance until all concerns are addressed.

The developments forced Uhuru and Raila to convene an urgent meeting through Azimio secretariat executive director Raphael Tuju, bringing together all secretaries general of the affiliates to avert a possible fallout.

This came even as Movement for Democracy and Growth, a member of Oka, distanced itself from the letters saying it was not discussed at the Oka principals’ level.

“We’ve not met as principals of Oka to discuss the content of the letter. We have a meeting on Thursday to discuss how we are going to help Raila to become president,” Ugenya MP David Ochieng, who is also the MDG leader said.

“Those are teething problems that are present in any other arrangement. In Oka we are firmly and deeply in Azimio.”

Sources at the Serena meeting intimated to the Star that it offered a platform of reading the riot act to the Oka parties which were being accused of ‘blackmailing’ and 'derailing' the Azimio ship.

Kenya Union Party secretary general David Pkosing who attended the meeting accused Wiper of being selfish.

“They should be driven by the interest of the country, the common good for all Kenyans and all regions, not personal or parochial agreed,” Pkosing said.

Emerging from the meeting, Tuju insisted that all was well and the teething problems had been referred to the principals.

On Tuesday, the former Jubilee secretary general said the concerns in the letter were genuine and they are going to be addressed internally.

"If legitimate concerns are being raised we are going to resolve on how to deal with them, leave it to the team within the coalition so there is no cause for alarm," he said.

He also pointed out that once it has been resolved they are going to withdraw the letter filed by the two parties with the registrar.

Conspicuously missing during the meeting, however, were Jubilee and ODM secretaries general.

But, Tuju defended the duo saying they had attended the morning meeting and left as they had other engagements.

Wiper secretary general Shakila Abdala appeared to have made a retreat  and expressed optimism that a solution would be arrived at.

"We have never had such a forum before and we have agreed that from today henceforth this is where we are going to channel our issues and concerns,” she said.

Shakila affirmed their position in the coalition saying they were fully in and no matter the “waves and turbulences.”

Kanu secretary general Nick Salat and his Democratic Action Party of Kenya counterpart Eseli Simiyu said the letters went out because they had no platform to raise the issues.

“Like any other coalition we have teething problems but we are going to overcome it,” Salat said.

(Edited by Tabnacha O)