Martha Karua Denies Claims Of Leaving Azimio Amidst Rumoured Cracks

Azimio spokesperson, Makau Mutua, claimed that she had left Azimio in the cold in favour of an outfit that leaned closer to her ethnic affiliations.

Marvin Chege Marvin Chege
Sep 25, 2023 - 14:02 Updated: Sep 25, 2023 - 14:03
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Martha Karua Denies Claims Of Leaving Azimio Amidst Rumoured Cracks
Side by side image of Makau Mutua and Azimio principal, Martha Karua. /VIRALTEAKE

NARC-Kenya party leader Martha Karua on Sunday, September 24 addressed claims of leaving the Azimio la Umoja coalition in favour of a new political outfit dubbed Kamwene.

This is after Azimio spokesperson, Makau Mutua, claimed that she had left Azimio in the cold in favour of an outfit that leaned closer to her ethnic affiliations.

In a statement, the former Gichugu Member of Parliament (MP) asserted that she was serving three roles at the same time, including as leader of her party.

NARC-Kenya party leader, Martha Karua speaking to the media on September 19, 2023, at Jubilee Party Headquarters. /X

‘’I am an unflinching member of Kamwene, NARC-Kenya, and Azimio Kenya all without contradiction,’’ stated Martha Karua on X (formerly Twitter).

Mutua, who served as the Azimio presidential secretariat, claimed that Karua and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula had started aligning with their ethnic outfits at the expense of the Raila Odinga-led coalition and the Kenya Kwanza government.

‘’SAD to see senior folks like Hon. Wetangula of Kenya Kwanza and Martha Karua of NARC-Kenya retreat to their ethnic cocoons.

‘’Ms. Karua is now in Kamwene, a Kikuyu outfit and Mr. Wetangula is calling for Luhya ethnocentrism,’’ Mutua claimed.

Wetangula during an interdenominational church service at Ishikhulu Primary School, Shinyalu Constituency, Kakamega County called for the Luhya unity in a service that brought together leaders drawn from Azimio and Kenya Kwanza factions.

"Musalia and I are working together and we will not allow negative voices to divide us," Wetangula stated.

Meanwhile, the Azimio principal joined forces with embattled Jubilee Party Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni to form the Kamwene Leadership Forum, a new outfit meant to champion the interests of the Mt Kenya region.

This is coming considerably after Azimio had failed to name a member from the vote-rich region to the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) charged with spearheading bipartisan talks between the opposition and the government.

However, Karua was quick to dismiss rumours of a breakup in the coalition, noting that Kamwene was only a space through which Mt Kenya leaders speak.

“It does not mean we are not in Azimio, if we weren’t we would say it without beating around the bush. You saw us speak as Azimio, today we are here speaking as Kamwene, tomorrow I will speak as Narc-Kenya, all these are spaces we occupy,” she affirmed.

Jeremiah Kioni and Martha Karua interact with a police officer in Meru County on July 12, 2023. /JUBILEE PARTY