Azimio Principal Martha Karua on Saturday denied media reports suggesting that Azimio now acknowledges President William Ruto as Kenya's legitimately elected Head of State.
The reports had indicated that Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka while attending a burial ceremony in Taita Taveta County had stated that the Azimio Coalition had changed tune after initially maintaining the 2022 presidential election was rigged.
In a statement, the NARC Kenya Party leader who was Raila Odinga’s running mate in the 2022 presidential election stated that the claim was false.
Martha Karua did not elaborate if she disagreed with Kalonzo’s sentiments or felt the publication had misquoted Kalonzo.
The media report had quoted Kalonzo saying that he admired the Head of State for showing level-headedness in the bipartisan talks geared at ending the political impasse that has rocked the country.
The former Vice President who co-chairs the National Dialogue Committee together with National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungw’ah had noted that Ruto had shown statesmanship, unlike his deputy Rigathi Gachagua.
Kalonzo Musyoka did not immediately respond to Karua’s statement or the media reports.
In the bipartisan talks, Azimio is demanding an audit of the 2022 presidential elections. Kenya Kwanza had initially refused to have that as part of the talking points but later agreed. However, it is unlikely that the government will agree to that condition since President William Ruto has dismissed that position as a non-starter.
On Wednesday, August 30, the committee agreed to discuss electoral justice; talking points include; auditing of the 2022 presidential election results and the restructuring and reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The team also intends to discuss boundary delimitation in relation to electoral representation
Azimio leader Raila Odinga had on January this year stated that he did not recognise Ruto as the President a position that was subsequently adopted by the coalition.
"We do not recognise the Kenya Kwanza administration as a legitimate government and Ruto as the president or any official in his government," Raila stated then.
In April, Gachagua told Raila that the government would only listen to opposition grievances if the former Prime Minister publicly recognised Ruto as the President.
