ODM, led by former prime minister Raila Odinga, has also decided to withdraw from the National Super Alliance (NASA).
In a move that marks the emergence of new broad coalitions, the party has said it has decided to work with other parties to form a new coalition before the next general election.
The move comes a week after its allies at NASA, Wiper of former vice president Kalonzo Musyoka, Amani National Congress (ANC) of former Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Ford Kenya of Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula, decided to withdraw from the coalition blaming ODM for betrayal.
The three said they would unite under the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) coalition, which has also been at risk of collapse after Kanu’s party refused to join them, insisting it would not break its alliance with the Jubilee party.
On Thursday, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the ODM party decided that the party should withdraw from the coalition and seek new allies in preparation for next year’s general election.
“The ODM General Assembly has approved that the ODM party withdraw from the NASA consortium. Following this decision, the party will write to the Registrar of Political Parties informing him of the decision, ”said ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna after a NEC meeting at the Kempinski Hotel in Nairobi.
Mr Sifuna emphasized that ODM’s relationship with NASA affiliates had come to an end on January 30 2018, when Mr Musyoka, Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetangula refused to attend Mr Odinga’s inauguration at Uhuru Park Nairobi.
“For us, NASA has become history. “Our colleagues betrayed us when they boycotted the swearing-in ceremony of our party leader Uhuru Park,” he said.
Mr Musyoka, Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetangula have refused to support Mr Odinga for the presidency in the next general election.
Their hopes have been in the OKA coalition that has been squabbling with Kanu chairman Gideon Moi whose party has refused to break its alliance with the Jubilee party. ODM, too, has been forming an alliance with Jubilee but the process was halted after the ruling party suffered internal strife.
OKA leaders have been inviting ODM to join the coalition a move that Mr Sifuna says they do not embrace at the moment.
“We are making new friends. There are about 100 political parties in the country and we aim to talk to those who have the same goals as ODM, ”he said.
Circles say ODM is keen to secure a coalition with Jubilee that includes Kanu and other parties that supported President Kenyatta in the 2017 general elections.
Mr Sifuna said that despite deciding to withdraw from NASA, ODM would distribute to its allies the money it receives from the treasury of political parties as a mere backlash and not because of their contract.
“Our leader has agreed in good spirits to give our allies a lift as we have had some of them since 2013. We will do so not because of the NASA agreement but only in good faith,” said Mr Sifuna.
ODM’s withdrawal from NASA will officially kill the alliance if Wiper and the ANC formally sign the registrar of parties to withdraw.
Most Watched
