What was expected to be a smooth transition quickly turned contentious following the elevation of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka to the position of coalition leader.
In the same changes, Suba South MP Caroli Omondi was named Secretary General, replacing Junet Mohamed. The announcement was made by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in his role as coalition chair.
Instead of calming the coalition, the reshuffle has triggered open resistance from a section of affiliate parties who say they were excluded from the decision-making process. The dissenting group argues that the changes were rushed and failed to respect agreed coalition procedures.
National Liberal Party Secretary General Ishmael Omondi Koyoo has emerged as a leading voice of opposition, declaring the appointments null and void. Alongside other dissatisfied partners, his party has formally petitioned the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties to block the registration of the new office holders.
At the centre of the dispute are claims that the National Executive Committee meeting which sanctioned the changes was conducted without proper consultation. Smaller parties insist they were sidelined while key decisions were made by dominant players within the coalition.
The standoff now threatens to spill into a legal contest that could stall Azimio’s internal operations and weaken its cohesion. For Kalonzo Musyoka, the moment that was meant to cement his leadership has instead opened a delicate test of consensus-building within a diverse political alliance.
Whether the coalition can bridge these divisions will determine its ability to remain united moving forward.