Eugene Wamalwa: DAP-K to exit Azimio coalition

 

Democratic Action Party (DAP-K) has become the latest party to announce its plans to exit the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance Coalition.

Party leader Eugene Wamalwa said they have initiated the process of exiting the coalition stating that their stay in the Opposition coalition is no longer tenable.

"We cannot stay and we no longer find it tenable being in a relationship with people who are no longer like-minded with us," he said.

Speaking during a National Delegates Congress held in Webuye, Bungoma County, Wamalwa said ODM which is an affiliate party has joined the government so they cannot continue working with them.

The party leader at the same disclosed that they will soon launch a registration drive for new members across the 47 counties.

This is in preparation for 2027 where he stated the party will be fielding candidates in all positions including that of the president.

Other parties that have mooted plans to exit the coalition are NARC-K of Martha Karua and PNU led by Peter Munya.

“Kindly take note that our stay in Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition is not tenable due to the prevailing political developments,” said Karua.

"By way of this letter, we are giving notice to exit the Coalition as stipulated in the exit clause (s) in the Coalition Agreement. This notice is effective from the date of this letter.” 

This was followed by Munya who said in a statement on July 29 that the National Executive Council would be meeting to ratify it.

The decision by the parties follows the recent move by the ODM to submit four of its members for appointment to join President William Ruto’s cabinet.

“They (ODM) have said they want to be in the government and for some of us who want to be in the opposition, we must bolt out so that we can continue fighting for the people of Kenya,” he said.

He argued that currently, there are many problems facing the people.

“The way our constitution is structured is such that there have to be two sides, there are people in government and people supposed to be in the opposition, you cannot be in both places,” he said.

The Registrar of Political Parties has, however, yet to sanction their exit.

Six months before the 2022 General Election, retired President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law the controversial Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

The law set the stage for the formation of coalition political parties ahead of the polls.

by Allan Kisia