The Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu has rejected attempts by Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi’s Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) and his Machakos counterpart Alfred Mutua’s  MCC parties’ request to exit Azimio Coalition.

In a letter to PAA, Nderitu said that her office has no mandate to degazette that party unless due process is followed.

“Azimio is already a registered coalition political party in terms of section 7(7) of the Political Parties Act (Registration), Regulations 2019,” she said.

“Hence the registrar has no mandate to degazette PAA as per your request save for where due process outlined in the coalition agreement has been followed.”

The registrar said that PAA had met all the conditions and provided all the prerequisite documents to affirm its commitment to the coalition.

“That PAA, as one of the constituent parties, duly executed the coalition agreement annexing the requisite documents including former PP19 declaring that the information submitted is true and correct,” Nderitu said.

In response to MCC, Nderitu also declined to grant the request, citing similar reasons.

“MCC party, as a constitutional political party, executed the coalition agreement annexing the requisite documents including form pp19 declaring that the information submitted is true and correct,” Nderitu said.

“By operation of the vacancy in the office of the chairperson, the two authorised signatories duly signed the coalition agreement and Azimio is already a registered coalition political party in terms of section 7 (7) of the political parties act 2011 and the political parties regulations 2019. Hence the registrar has no mandate to sanction the withdrawal as per your request save for where the process outlined in the coalition agreement has been followed. “

PAA, through its secretary, had written to the registrar to delist it as among the parties forming up the Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance.

In the letter to the registrar, the party had argued that its national executive council, the highest decision making organ, did not ratify the coalition agreement.

In addition, it argued that it sought to form a coalition and not a coalition political party.

The party also said that it has not been furnished with a coalition agreement.

The Coalition is led by opposition leader Raila Odinga as its presidential flagbearer and leader and President Uhuru Kenyatta as the chair of the Council.