NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 8 — Suba South MP and newly appointed Azimio Secretary General Caroli Omondi has criticised the alleged instruction to the Government Printer to withhold publication of the coalition’s leadership changes, terming the move “an act of ignorance of the law.”
In a statement, Omondi said the legal process underpinning the leadership changes remains valid despite the delayed gazettement.
He argued that the statutory notice period continues to run once the appointments are published in a national newspaper.
“I am bemused by the official instructions to the Government Printer to withhold the publication of the Notice of the Changes in Azimio leadership. It is an act out of ignorance of the law,” he said.
“The 14-day notice period for the changes to become effective continues to run even if the Government Printer does not print them, provided that the same have been published in a national newspaper, which we have already done,” Omondi added.
His remarks come amid claims by Wiper Kalonzo Musyoka that State House interfered with the gazettement of the coalition’s leadership changes, which would formally recognise the new appointments including his designation as Coalition Leader.
In a statement on Saturday, Musyoka alleged that the Government Printer had been instructed to block publication despite the appointments being lawfully effected and acknowledged by the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP).
“Kenyans need to know what’s happening. State House has instructed the Government Printer to block publication of Azimio’s legitimate leadership changes in the Kenya Gazette,” Musyoka said, warning that such actions undermine Kenya’s multiparty democracy.
‘Legal changes’
Musyoka maintained that Azimio followed all legal procedures in appointing Philip Kisia as Executive Director, Caroli Omondi as Secretary General, and himself as Party Leader.
He said the appointments were published in local dailies last week and were scheduled for gazettement on Friday, February 6, before the alleged intervention.
Linking the incident to broader concerns about political pluralism, Musyoka said the alleged interference contradicted commitments made during the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) process, where strengthening multiparty democracy was identified as a key priority.
“When State House can arbitrarily stop the publication of legally constituted political party leadership, it’s not just Azimio under attack; it’s Kenya’s multiparty democracy itself,” he said, accusing the government of using state machinery to weaken opposition parties.
He added that the coalition would pursue legal avenues to ensure the leadership changes are formally gazetted, warning that democracy cannot thrive when rules are manipulated to silence dissent.
The leadership reshuffle was announced on February 3 by the Azimio Coalition Party Council, chaired by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The council removed Junet Mohamed as Secretary General and appointed Omondi in his place, while naming Musyoka as Party Leader following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in October 2025.
Former Nairobi Town Clerk Philip Kisia was also appointed Executive Director.
Azimio said the changes were driven by evolving political circumstances and are aimed at strengthening internal coordination, repositioning the coalition, and enhancing operational effectiveness.
