Wiper Party leader Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka has accused State House of interfering with Kenya’s multiparty democracy after the Government Printer allegedly blocked the publication of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance leadership changes in the Kenya Gazette.
Kalonzo says the changes—appointing Philip Kisia as Executive Director, Caroli Omondi as Secretary General, and himself as Party Leader—were lawfully made, approved by the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, and published by local dailies last week.
The gazettement had been scheduled for Friday, February 6, 2026, before what he described as direct political interference.
However, the leadership shake-up has triggered sharp resistance within the opposition coalition.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has formally rejected the changes, terming them illegal, null and void, and arguing that the process violated the coalition’s founding agreement due to lack of consultation.
ODM leaders have since written to the Registrar of Political Parties seeking to halt any action arising from the disputed changes until the matter is resolved.
A section of Azimio minority parties led by Dr Augustus Kyalo Muli has also disowned the new leadership, insisting that the decisions were irregular and did not meet the threshold required under the coalition framework. The faction maintains that Azimio’s internal processes were undermined and cannot be legitimized through gazettement.
Despite the internal pushback, Kalonzo maintains that the appointments were lawful and warned that blocking gazettement of duly constituted political party leadership sets a dangerous precedent. He says the move contradicts commitments reached during the NADCO talks, particularly on fidelity to the law and protection of multiparty democracy, which he co-chaired in good faith.
The former Vice President accused President William Ruto’s administration of using state machinery to weaken opposition coalitions rather than competing politically on ideas and performance.
Kalonzo says Azimio will pursue all legal avenues to ensure the leadership changes are gazetted, insisting that democracy cannot function when institutions are manipulated to silence dissent.
