OKA is out to blackmail, extort Raila – Governor Mutua
Governor Alfred Mutua has called out One Kenya Alliance (OKA) on its attempt to withdraw from the Azimio-One Kenya Coalition party over claims that they were being shortchanged by the Raila Odinga-led coalition.
This comes a day after the four constituent parties in OKA wrote to the Registrar of Political Parties seeking a stop to the registration of the Azimio One Kenya Coalition party noting that the document presented before the registrar was altered and does not reflect what they signed.
"It is apparent that the Agreement lodged on the 1st April 2022 was withdrawn and certain clauses amended or altered without the consent of all the parties and signatories," OKA's letter to the registrar read in part.
Governor Mutua has, however, come out to fault the alliance saying that their move to halt the registration of the coalition party was meant to extort and exploit Raila into agreeing to something that Azimio doesn't stand for.
He accused OKA of trying to lock out other parties in Azimio from being part of key decision-making processes within the coalition by pushing for the passage of the previous document they say was altered.
The county head argued that the three-legged stool coalition agreement that Kalonzo and his partners in OKA are pushing for would only mean that Wiper, ODM and Jubilee Parties are the key players within the Azimio One Kenya coalition at the expense of other political parties.
He also noted that the document needed to be amended since it contains some phrases that would have led to zoning which would have been to the disadvantage of the smaller parties in Azimio.
"The document was creating a power base of only three parties - Jubillee, ODM and Wiper, excluding all the other parties of AZIMIO from effective and democratic participation in AZIMIO," Mutua said.
He added: "Second, the document was laced with phrases and jargon that would have led to zoning, giving preference to the three parties and excluding the other parties from effectively participating in the general elections.
"Third, we endorsed Raila Odinga via a democratic process of delegates and we felt that the seat of his running mate should also be processed through a democratic process that brings everyone together, for acceptability and effective motivation for campaigning."
The Maendeleo Chap Chap party leader, therefore, claimed that whoever is opposed to the amendments that were done in the coalition agreement is one with plans of blackmail and entitlement.
He also accused the OKA brigade of attempting to weaken Azimio, a coalition that is meant to propel Raila's presidential bid.
"I said the other day, anyone opposed to the expansion of AZIMIO and who wants only a three-legged stool of three parties to be in charge and disregards everyone else must have plans of blackmail and entitlement. A three-legged stool can collapse if one of the legs breaks off. A four-legged one will still stand," Mutua said.
"Anyone engaging in a manner to ferment a crisis and pushing for the exclusion of others that would make Azimio stronger must be working for the competition to weaken a strong coalition that is meant to propel Raila Odinga to the presidency," he added.
He, therefore, called on OKA and other players within the Azimio One Kenya Coalition Party to be more accommodative to other political parties that are already within the coalition and those that are yet to join them.
The Machakos Governor also urged Raila to stand firm and forge a strong coalition that is inclusive, transformative and champions for the betterment of the country.
"I cannot find any other reasons for demanding that others be excluded and only a special outfit that creates an “Azimio La Utenganishi” be recognized. This political selfishness is the problem that we have faced in this country - of leaders and opportunists who whine and blackmail all the time and who put their interests and not those of Wananchi first. AZIMIO LA UMOJA aims to cure this problem by focusing on Wananchi and how to roll back poverty," he said.
