Karua finally parts ways with Raila as Narc Kenya exits Azimio coalition
By Barack Oduor |
Karua, who was one of Odinga’s most loyal allies, protested his decision to have his ODM party join Ruto's administration.
Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua is set to finally part ways with opposition leader Raila Odinga following her party's exit from the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party.
Karua was Odinga's presidential running mate in the 2022 general election in which their coalition was defeated by President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
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On Thursday, Karua is expected to lead her party's National Delegates Convention in Nairobi to ratify the decision to pull out from the coalition.
Her exit has widened the already existing rift within the opposition coalition.
In a letter dated July 25, Karua notified Azimio of her party’s decision to exit the coalition.
“Our stay in Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition is not tenable due to the prevailing political developments,” the letter from Narc Kenya said.
Karua, who was one of Odinga’s most loyal allies, protested his decision to have his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party join Ruto's administration.
She has been accusing the President of using a section of opposition luminaries to clean up his mess in the face of nationwide protests against his government a few months ago.
But it is not only Karua's Narc Kenya that is unhappy with the Azimio coalition. The Party of National Unity (PNU), another Azimio affiliate, also announced it is contemplating leaving the coalition to assume an opposition role, accusing Odinga of allowing his ODM party to accept positions in a government they oppose.
“You cannot occupy both roles of opposition and government simultaneously,” its leader Peter Munya said ahead of PNU’s National Executive Committee meeting, which will decide on its future relationship with the Azimio coalition.
ODM has, however, defended itself, saying that the party merely allowed Ruto to use its experts in their individual capacities to serve the nation and help stabilise the government after the deadly anti-government protests that began in June.
Odinga emphasised that his party is still in the opposition and remains a strong member of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition, insisting that the responsibility of checking on Ruto’s administration has not changed.
“We released some of our experts to go into the government. They will work in accordance with the ethics of our party ODM and the Azimio coalition,” Odinga said.
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