The Opposition coalition Azimio la Umoja has ceased to be a political vehicle; it has become a crime scene. As the blame game over the 2022 election loss and the current "broad-based" confusion intensifies, it is clear that the coalition was not defeated by the enemy outside, but by the "saboteurs" within.

A stinging opinion piece in The Standard argues that the architects of Azimio’s failure belong either in Kamiti Maximum Prison for political malpractice or in Hollywood for their acting skills. The op-ed specifically targets the chaotic management of the coalition's election agents, a scandal that Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni recently resurrected.

The "Grumpy" Fellow

The writer laments the "mess" that denied Kenyans a chance to have Martha Karua as Deputy President. Instead, the country ended up with a "grumpy fellow who thought government was a tribal share-enterprise"—a thinly veiled reference to the current struggles within the presidency.

• The Agent Scandal: Kioni’s recent revelation that funds meant for agents were squandered or withheld by top Azimio insiders confirms the worst fears of the base. "We were sending soldiers to war without bullets," the op-ed notes.
• The "Broad-Based" Betrayal: The decision by ODM to join the government while technically remaining in opposition is termed the final nail in the coffin. The writer argues that Azimio is now a "zombie coalition," walking dead, with its leaders serving the very regime they vowed to overthrow.
• Uhuru's Shadow: The piece also touches on the defense of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta by his allies, noting that he is being used as a scapegoat for the incompetence of the current opposition leadership.

The Verdict

The article concludes that unless there is a complete purge of the "saboteurs"—the double agents and the incompetent bureaucrats—the opposition will remain a laughing stock. For the millions who voted for Azimio, the bitterness is not just about losing; it is about being sold out.