All eyes are now set on the Azimio affiliate parties as MPs converge for a ‘crisis’ PG meeting that will either make or break the camp that has recently been hit by a wave of betrayals and defections.
The agenda of the meeting is yet to be communicated to the members but it is understood that far-reaching decisions will be made during the two-day meeting to be held in Machakos, starting Thursday.
Azimio leader Raila Odinga is expected to address the leaders and prevail upon them to remain united.
A section of Jubilee and ODM party members have publicly shown their willingness of working with President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza government something that has caused disquiet in the camp.
During a recent rally at the Jacaranda grounds, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka even put on notice members skipping their rallies.
“We are keenly watching the MPs who are avoiding our meetings and are working with Kenya Kwanza barely five months after being elected,” he said.
Among the firebrand and notable figures that have been missing in action since Raila started his demonstrations are Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, nominated MPs John Mbadi (ODM), Sabina Chege (Jubilee) and former governor Hassan Joho among several others.
Junet has remained tightlipped as Chege appears to be calling it quits in the Azimio, arguing that Jubilee MPs from Mt Kenya will rally behind Gachagua who now is the region's kingpin.
“The people of Mount Kenya where I come from made a decision during the August 2022 poll where they voted for William Ruto and Rigathi Gachagua…even though I was an Azimio La Umoja diehard during the campaigns I respect authority,” she said in a past event.
While all the Azimio elected and nominated leaders have been invited, it remains to be seen if they will all attend.
Independence party-Kanu-on its part has already told all its members to attend the meeting.
Party’s national Executive Director George Wainana told the Star they are in Azimio and have no intentions of moving out any soon.
“We in Kanu are in Azimio to stay and we remain loyal to our leader who is Raila; that should remain clear. We are not about to exit and that is why all our members will be attending that meeting,” Wainana told the Star.
The move by some nine ODM leaders to pledge support for Ruto after a visit to Statehouse on Tuesday is also expected to feature during the meeting.
Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe is, however, defending the legislators saying there is nothing wrong with visiting Statehouse as it is a public office.
“Every Kenyan is free to attend a meeting at Statehouse, it should not be politicized or misinterpreted… I have also gone there,” said Wangwe.
“We should not mix issues, they never went there for politics and in fact, I have also been there to make a follow-up on some development projects in my constituency.”
His statement came hours after the nine received a backlash from the party which has termed them self-seeking.
"The party has been monitoring closely the behind-the-scenes activities involving some of them and today was just the climax,” Director of communications, Philip Etale said in a statement.
Wangwe further stated that he will be attending the PG meeting since he has been invited and was not aware if other members would attend.
“I am going to be there as early as 8 am and we do not know the agenda but we shall hear what is on the table for discussion,” he stated.
There were indications that disloyal MPs have been targeted for removal from powerful positions during the meeting.
ODM national chairman John Mbadi has said he is ready to leave the chairmanship position.
He claimed the people who orchestrated his removal as the Minority Leader and are now hell-bent to push him out of the outfit’s leadership.
The latest visit to the State House by the nine ODM leaders comes as a setback to the Azimio camp which is slowly assembling to form a formidable union to take on Ruto in and out of parliament.
The nine were Kisumu Senator Prof Tom Ojienda and MPs Felix Odiwuor (Lang’ata), Caroli Omondi (Suba South), Paul Abuor (Rongo), Shakeel Shabir (Kisumu East), Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Gideon Ochando (Bondo), Mark Nyamita (Uriri) and Paul Abuor (Rongo).
Jalang’o has defended himself, saying he had been invited to attend the meet.
