Inside the Legal Dispute Over Azimio’s Coalition Leadership

There’s a quiet but consequential battle unfolding inside Kenya’s opposition politics – and it’s not happening at rallies or press conferences.

A formal complaint submitted to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties has challenged recent attempts to alter the leadership of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition.

The letter argues that the changes were made outside the law and are therefore invalid.

At the centre of the dispute is a meeting of the Azimio Coalition Council held on Monday, 2 February 2026, which reportedly sought to effect leadership changes, including the position of Secretary General.

According to the letter, those decisions may have crossed a legal red line.

What Does the Law say? 

The objection leans heavily on Article 6A(1) of the Azimio Coalition Deed of Agreement – the binding document that governs how the coalition is run.

That article is clear on two things:

• Who sits in the Coalition Council,
• Who has the authority to appoint or remove its members, including the Secretary General.

The Deed provides that such powers are not unilateral.

Instead, they are a collective preserve of the Party Leaders of the coalition’s constituent parties – namely:

1. Jubilee Party

2. Orange Democratic Movement (ODM)

3. Wiper Democratic Movement

4. Authorized representatives of the Mwanzo Mpya Caucus

In short: leadership changes cannot be made by a single meeting or faction acting alone.

Why The Meeting is Raising Eyebrows

The letter argues that the February 2 meeting – and any resolutions arising from it – were ultra vires, meaning beyond the legal authority granted under the coalition agreement.

Because the required party leaders were not collectively involved in approving the changes, the resolutions are described as being in direct contravention of the Deed of Agreement, rendering them null and void.

Sought Deliberations

The request to the Registrar of Political Parties is straightforward but significant:

1. Suspend and freeze any action arising from the contested meeting.

2. Ensure strict compliance with the coalition’s founding agreement and applicable law before any leadership changes are recognized.

Until that happens, the letter argues, any attempt to implement the changes would undermine both internal democracy and the rule of law within political coalitions.

In a Nutshell ….. 

Beyond party politics, this dispute touches on a bigger issue in Kenya’s democratic life: how political power is exercised and restrained.

Coalitions are held together not just by numbers, but by trust in shared rules.

When those rules are bent or ignored, even quietly, the damage can outlast the immediate leadership contest.

As the 2027 election cycle draws closer, the Azimio question is no longer just about who holds which office – it’s about whether political agreements still mean what they say.

And in Kenyan politics, that question is never a small one.