Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition receives an alarming loss as members of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) led by their party leader and Mandera Senator-Elect Ali Roba defect the coalition joining the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
Even though the move has weakened the Azimio Coalition, UDM still stands in Azimio-One Kenya Coalition in terms of majority votes when it comes to picking a majority Leader and Minority Leader.
A defection such as this is so weighty in the political arena, especially for the two coalitions; Kenya Kwanza and Azimio la Umoja as it affects a shift of number which tend to determine a lot in the Houses of parliament.
Azimio has garnered 162 members in both Houses beating Kenya Kwanza’s 159 members in the houses, though this move will see a shift of numbers which also determine the bills passed and set. This transition is set to derail Azimio’s candidature for Speaker of the National Assembly based on a majority of seats.
UDM clinched a total of 45 seats in the just-concluded General Election. Among them is Mandera gubernatorial seat which went to Mohamed Adan and Wajir’s which was won by Khalif Mohamud Ali.
With the seven UDM MPs, GDDP’s Caleb Mule (Kangundo), and the 10 independent candidates joining president-elect Ruto’s camp, the alliance’s representation now sums up to 180 in the National Assembly. This accounts for more than half of the 337 seats available.
The Party Leader Ali Roba expressed concerns as to why the defection had to be effected citing the fact that as a party they were rarely involved in critical meetings and hence felt they were not a part of the whole coalition.
Concerns that UDM wrote about in a letter to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties led by Anne Nderitu, seeking to be handed the Coalition’s copy of the agreement and other relevant documents.
“The party raises concerns that it is not being engaged in critical meetings and decisions which bear an impact on the coalition. The party is yet to formally receive a copy of the coalition agreement documents signed by all parties to the coalition,” said the party in a statement.
President-elect William Ruto welcomed the team in the Kenya Kwanza Alliance pointing out a brighter and greater future for each and every one.
“We salute the United Democratic Movement (UDM) leadership for abandoning Azimio La Umoja and joining Kenya Kwanza,” Ruto said.
