Ekuru Aukot claims Azimio was bribed to join Ruto’s government

Ekuru Aukot, the leader of the Third Away Alliance party, now asserts that the Azimio Coalition is a component of the government.

In an interview with Citizen TV on Thursday, Aukot claimed that the Azimio coalition had been bought out the previous year.

“We have a very compromised opposition. These people are in government. Azimio was bought a long time ago,” Ekuru claimed.

Ekuru claimed even the bi-partisan Bomas talks were bogus. He said the talks were just choreographed to manage the bases.

“The idea was for Azimio and Kenya Kwanza to be able to work together, they have to present the nation with something that looks plausible. That is why even the outcome of the Bomas talks was bogus,” he said.

Ekuru said the outcome of the Bomas talks even brought a split in the Azimio coalition.

Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo refuted Ekuru’s claims that the coalition was bought and is part of the government.

“Our coalition has not been bought,” Maanzo said.

Maanzo said the proposals from the Bomas talks have to be taken to a referendum and be approved by Kenyans.

“Cost of living can only be managed if the government agrees to reduce the cost of fuel. That is what is bringing all the problems with the high cost of living.”

Kacheliba Member of Parliament Titus Lotee on his part said Azimio is completely dead. He said even the Jubilee wing of the coalition is gone.

“Look at the other wings of the coalition, they are all gone. They were not bought. They looked at the unfortunate situation within Azimio. You can already see they are fighting,” he claimed.

Lotee said the coalition no longer reads from the same page and are not organised enough as the opposition.

“The real role of an opposition is to keep the government in check. But if you listen to Azimio closely, they are trying to play politics of 2027. And the reason why they are splitting is because they are not keeping the government in check,” he said.

Azimio la Umoja Leader Raila Odinga while in Lamu on January 22 refuted claims that the alliance is on the verge of collapse.

He termed the narratives, circulated in local dailies, as both false and regrettable.

The ODM leader reassured supporters that differing opinions on certain issues within Azimio does not equate to a breakdown of the coalition.

“There may be sometimes disagreements of opinions on one issue or one another but that does not mean disintegration,” Raila added.