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Professor Makau Mutua has added a new twist while responding to Martha Karua in the Azimio succession politics, revealing little-known details of agreement signed by Azimio la Umoja coalition constituent parties in the run up to the 2022 elections.
Mutua who served as the head of the Raila Odinga Secretariat in the 2022 presidential elections confirmed that the agreement provided for the position of deputy party leader, but added that the position is vacant to date as no one was chosen to fill it.
He clarified that no provision in the agreement signed by the Azimio constituent parties dictate that Martha Karua who was Raila’s running mate in 2022 will take over from the former Prime Minister should he be elected as the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson.
"The Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Deed of Agreement provides for a deputy party leader, but one was never chosen, or designated. The position is vacant.” Makau Mutua clarified in a statement.
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"Nor is there any provision that Azimio’s running mate in the 2022 elections would be deputy party leader," he added, adding a new twist in the Azimio la Umoja succession politics.
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Raila Odinga with Martha Karua and Kalonzo Musyoka during a prayer service held at his Karen residence on August 20, 2022
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The remarks came hours after the NARC Kenya party leader claimed in an interview that she is poised to take over Azimio leadership should Raila succeed in his AU bid.
“If I’m the deputy, is that a question? Even in small organisations like a school, when the headmaster goes to a meeting in Nairobi, who acts? It is the deputy,”
“If we are unable to follow simple basic rules, then something is very wrong with us," she stated during the interview in which she hit out at Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka who is also keen on succeeding Raila.
Battle on all fronts
The possible exit of long-serving opposition leader from the scene has placed Kalonzo and Karua on a collision path with both keen on succeeding Raila.
Kalonzo who deputized Odinga in 2013 and 2017 elections maintains that he is the best candidate to lead Azimio in an interview last month.
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File image of Martha Karua with Kalonzo Musyoka
Reacting to the same, Karua fired back noting that the final decision lies with the people.
"My unsolicited advice to my brother Kalonzo Musyoka is to focus on marketing himself and leave the decision of who is best to the voters," Karua said.
A similar face-off is brewing in ODM where a number of politicians are keen on replacing Odinga.