According to a report by Nation Newspaper on Sunday, a close ally of former President Uhuru Kenyatta disclosed that the Azimio-One Kenya Coalition, which is a political alliance of several parties in Kenya, could face a possible split if Raila Odinga fails to secure the African Union (AU) chairmanship position.
The ally, who did not want to reveal his identity due to the delicate nature of the issue, said that this was the reason why Uhuru Kenyatta was initially opposed to Raila’s bid for the AU post.
The ally further told the local publication that there is a widespread perception that President William Ruto and his supporters are fearful of the political influence and clout that Raila Odinga could wield ahead of the 2027 general election, which is expected to be highly competitive and contentious. He added that Raila’s loss in the AU race would be a major setback for the coalition, as he would likely seek to run for the presidency again, despite having already agreed to support Kalonzo Musyoka as the coalition’s flag bearer.
“We Really want him to win because if he loses he will want to run and that will definitely break Azimio because we have already supported Kalonzo,” the ally stated.