NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 3 — The Kalonzo Musyoka-led Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition has admitted former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, former Meru Governor Peter Munya and Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti into its governing council as part of a restructuring push aimed at repositioning the opposition ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Founded by former President Uhuru Kenyatta to unite opposition parties behind former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s 2022 presidential bid against then Deputy President William Ruto, Azimio is pursuing a rebrand and broader political realignment folliwng Odinga’s death.
Reading resolutions adopted during a meeting of the Azimio Council on Monday, Suba South MP Caroli Omondi said the coalition had resolved to reorganise its leadership structures while embarking on a fresh political rebrand.
“The Council resolved to reorganize the party structures, the various organs of the party, as well as to move forward with the rebranding of the Azimio Coalition,” Omondi announced.
He said the council had unanimously approved the admission of three new members into its top decision-making organ.
“The Council made a decision to admit three new members into its ranks. That Fred Matiang’i, former Governor Peter Munya and Honorable Senator Lenny Kivuti to become the new Council members,” he said.
The appointments mark the first major expansion of Azimio’s top leadership since Odinga’s death and underscore the coalition’s efforts to consolidate the opposition around a broader leadership team.
The Council also approved an expansion of the coalition by inviting Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K), one of Azimio’s founding members, to formally rejoin the alliance.
According to Omondi, DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, who attended the meeting, confirmed the party would begin its internal processes to facilitate its return.
The coalition further extended invitations to Martha Karua’s People’s Liberation Party (PLP), Justin Muturi’s Democratic Party (DP) and Umoja na Maendeleo Movement (UMMD), with their respective leaders indicating they would seek internal party approval before formally joining Azimio.
Addressing the meeting, Kalonzo said the council had also given coalition leadership a broader mandate to engage additional political formations as part of efforts to forge a united opposition front.
“We will be taking important decisions as we go forward. The party leader was given the mandate to engage other like-minded political parties because we all recognize that time is of the essence. We have entered the election year,” Kalonzo said.
He disclosed that Azimio had opened discussions with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), describing the outreach as part of a wider unity effort.
“We are talking to Democracy for Citizens Party. We are also re-engaging with PLP. Democracy for Citizens Party leader is, of course, our brother Rigathi Gachagua and also our sister Martha Karua of PLP,” he said.
Kalonzo also revealed that the coalition was engaging former Chief Justice David Maraga and the Linda Mzalendo movement, which is seeking registration as a political party.
“We are talking to others, including Chief Justice Emeritus, who has also indicated they may want to join this coalition as we rebrand and as we get together. We are also talking to Linda Mzalendo. We wish them well as they push for the registration of Linda Mzalendo as a political party,” he said.
Monday’s decisions also come amid a wider contest to shape the opposition’s leadership ahead of the 2027 race.
On Sunday, Matiang’i emerged as the leading choice for running mate in the WANTAM Advisory Committee’s online opposition ballot with 31 per cent support, while Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna topped the presidential preference poll with 58 per cent, ahead of Kalonzo Musyoka, former Chief Justice David Maraga, Rigathi Gachagua and former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi.
The online exercise, organised by the WANTAM movement, seeks to identify a unified opposition presidential ticket through a public vote before a planned debate among the leading contenders and a final ballot.