Azimio fallout: Karua’s NARC-Kenya party formally announces exit

The rift in the opposition Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party has escalated after the Martha Karua-led NARC-Kenya party on Thursday formally expressed its interest to exit the formation.

The party’s Acting Secretary General Asha Bashir made the announcement to Azimio Secretariat Secretary General Junet Mohamed in a letter dated July 25, 2024.

Ms. Bashir, in the letter, cited “prevailing political developments” as one of the reasons for the party’s imminent exit from the opposition political faction.

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

“As NARC Kenya 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.”

The announcement comes a day after President William Ruto on Wednesday nominated four members of Azimio affiliate party ODM to his Cabinet.

Ruto recommended ODM Chair and Nominated MP John Mbadi to lead the Treasury ministry and National Assembly Minority Leader and Ugunja MP James Opiyo Wandayi to oversee the Energy docket.

He similarly nominated former Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho to lead the Ministry of Mining and Blue Economy, and former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya to head the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs Development.

The nominations threw the opposition in disarray despite past fervent statements that they are not desperate to join the Kenya Kwanza administration.

NAR-Kenya was among Azimio parties – including Wiper, Jubilee, DAP-K, and PNU – that said they had no plans of joining the government, terming it as a means of betrayal to the Kenyan people.