By Billy Mijungu
In moments of persecution the persecuted need a firm pole to lean on. Politics is not kind to the uncertain or the disorganized. When pressure mounts leadership must not retreat into silence. It must consolidate, project strength and offer direction. That is where Azimio, Sifuna and Babu abd others find itself today.
The Azimio coalition was built around one central candidacy. Raila Odinga was the flag bearer and the unifying force. When that presidential bid did not succeed the coalition inevitably weakened especially without visible leaders on its ticket, That is not an indictment. It is a structural reality.
Movements formed around a single election cycle must deliberately reinvent themselves or risk gradual erosion. While party’s can be on a destructive path, others can be on a constructive one.
This is the moment for reinvention and Uhuru Kenyatta should urgently convene Azimio and restructure its leadership by appointing Edwin Sifuna and Babu Owino as Deputy Party Leaders.
This is to strengthen the coalition and also It is about strategic positioning. It will strengthen the spine of the coalition at a time when perception, messaging and firmness matter most.
Sifuna represents articulate defiance. He understands party structures, legal frameworks and national messaging. He is consistent and unapologetic. Babu Owino represents grassroots energy, youth mobilization and fearless confrontation. He commands attention in both Parliament and public discourse. Together they embody clarity and courage.
Azimio needs visible pillars. It needs leaders who can absorb pressure and convert it into momentum.
Political realignments do not happen overnight. Exiting a coalition or dissolving arrangements takes months. In that period narratives are shaped, alliances are tested and the public mood is influenced. Even three months of deliberate positioning can reassert dominance in national conversation. That window should not be surrendered.
ODM remains the largest partner within Azimio. But numbers alone do not guarantee influence. If the party machinery appears uncertain then the people must become the anchor. There is a growing perception that ODM has lost its negotiating edge with UDA. Whether real or perceived that narrative weakens the opposition space and creates room for speculation about eventual merger or quiet dissolution.
If that path continues Azimio risks fading into irrelevance.
The solution is reinforcement not retreat. Elevating bold and nationally visible leaders sends a clear signal that the coalition is reorganizing not surrendering. It reassures supporters. It unsettles opponents. It restores bargaining power.
Coalitions survive when they evolve. They collapse when they hesitate.
Azimio must choose evolution. It must choose clarity. It must choose strength.
The time to act is now.
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