Cracks are widening within the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party as the National Liberal Party (NLP), one of its founding members, has escalated internal grievances by formally petitioning the Registrar of Political Parties for complete operational and financial transparency. This bold move, which demands a full accounting of the coalition’s structure, finances, and official membership, signals a significant rebellion simmering beneath the surface. The petition arrives at a moment of pronounced instability for the coalition, a situation exacerbated by the recent high-profile resignation of its Executive Director, Raphael Tuju, which has left a noticeable void and fueled speculation about the coalition’s future direction and internal health. The NLP’s action transforms private discontent into a public challenge, threatening to unravel the very fabric of the political alliance.
A Demand for Accountability and Structure
At the heart of the dispute is a profound call for systemic accountability, with the NLP asserting that the coalition has failed to evolve and maintain transparency with its constituent members. In the formal petition, NLP’s Secretary General, Omondi Koyoo, articulated that political coalitions are not static entities but rather “living agreements” that necessitate continuous adaptation and open governance to remain viable. Consequently, the party has requested a trove of critical documents to ascertain the coalition’s current standing, including the original deed of agreement, an updated roster of all member parties, a list of any parties that have officially exited, and the present status of its governing council. The request also seeks to clarify who has resigned from key posts, reflecting a deep-seated concern over a growing leadership vacuum. The most contentious element of this demand, however, revolves around the coalition’s finances. The NLP is insisting on a full disclosure of all monies received from the Political Parties’ Fund, with a particular focus on the substantial allocations tied directly to the 6.9 million presidential votes the coalition garnered in the 2022 general elections, a resource that has now become a central point of conflict.
The financial discord has exposed a severe trust deficit within the coalition, with accusations that a small circle of dominant parties is monopolizing shared resources. NLP Leader Augustus Muli leveled a serious charge, stating that larger partners are effectively “hoarding millions” of shillings from the Political Parties’ Fund, leaving smaller member organizations financially starved and teetering on the brink of deregistration due to their inability to meet statutory obligations. Muli lamented the coalition’s operational paralysis, pointing out that its last significant meeting was convened solely to address a contentious election for a new IEBC selection panel, indicating a lack of proactive leadership or regular engagement on broader strategic issues. He described a coalition adrift, lacking clearly defined officials or even physical offices, and plagued by a leadership that seems afraid to call for internal elections. This fear, he suggested, stems from the possibility that the numerous smaller parties, if they voted as a bloc, could potentially seize key leadership positions from the established heavyweights, thus upending the current power structure.
This internal rebellion led to a formal call for an urgent convention of all partner parties to address the festering issues of financial inequity and the pervasive leadership vacuum. The NLP’s proposed solution was not merely to air grievances but to chart a new course by potentially electing a fresh slate of officials to reinvigorate the coalition’s mission. In this turbulent environment, many members looked toward Coalition Chairman and former President Uhuru Kenyatta, hoping he could intervene to mediate the dispute, inject new energy, and restore a sense of cohesion. The situation underscored a critical juncture for Azimio, where the failure to address these foundational problems of governance and resource sharing threatened to trigger a mass exodus of its smaller constituents and lead to its ultimate fragmentation.
