Uhuru to chair Azimio talks on formula for picking presidential candidate
Politics
By
Edwin Nyarangi
| Aug 03, 2026
The Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Council will hold a meeting, chaired by former President Uhuru Kenyatta, on Monday, with the key agenda being to establish a formula for identifying a single presidential candidate for the opposition.
Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka will host the meeting, which is expected to be attended by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Jubilee Deputy Party Leader Fred Matiang'i, Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi and DAP-K Party leader Eugene Wamalwa.
The meeting, expected to be chaired by Uhuru at the SKM Command Centre, will receive a preliminary report from the opposition technical committee led by former Cabinet Minister Kipruto arap Kirwa on the preferred name for the coalition as it prepares for the next General Election.
“The meeting will discuss the proposal on whether to change and rebrand the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition or register a new coalition so as to ensure that we are ready for the next General Election,” said a senior coalition official who sought anonymity.
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The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties is yet to register the Azimio officials after Kalonzo was named the new coalition leader, taking over from Uhuru earlier this year, in what some key players have alluded to as political machinations intended to derail the coalition ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Recently, the former President chaired a rare Azimio Council meeting and announced leadership changes in readiness for another duel with President William Ruto.
Uhuru appointed Kalonzo as the coalition leader, replacing the late Raila Odinga, and removed National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohammed as the Council's Secretary, replacing him with Suba South MP Caroli Omondi.
The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, through its Chief Executive Officer, John Cox Lorionokou, acknowledged receipt of the resolutions in February 2026 and advised the coalition to publish the changes in line with Section 20 of the Political Parties Act.
“This office acknowledges receipt of your letter dated February 2 on the joint meeting of the Azimio Council and the National Executive Council submitting documents such as a notice dated January 29 convening the meeting, resolutions of the meeting, a letter dated February 2 to Junet on his removal from office, a statutory Form PP7 on the change of officials and the attendance list,” the letter from the Registrar of Political Parties read.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula rejected attempts to replace Junet as the National Assembly Minority Leader, questioning the authenticity of the letter purportedly written by Kalonzo effecting the changes, saying it was full of typographical and grammatical errors.
"A review of the document casts serious doubt on its authenticity. It has several grammatical and typographical errors, including the duplication of one of the names of its purported author. Specifically, the document is signed by Kalonzo Kalonzo Musyoka; we don't know anybody by that name in this country," said Wetang'ula.
The Speaker also noted that the letter indicated that Suba South MP Caroli Omondi was the leader of the Coalition Party Parliamentary Group, yet such a position does not exist in the Constitution, statute law or the Parliamentary Standing Orders.
The coalition also announced changes in March within the Azimio National Coalition Executive Council, removing several members, including Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya and Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi.
Others removed were Eldas MP Adan Keynan, Pokot South MP David Pkosing, Likoni MP Mishi Mboko, Garissa Senator Abdul Haji and East African Community Principal Secretary Caroline Karugu.