Raphael Tuju has exited his position as Executive Director of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party, triggering a leadership transition within the opposition alliance.
The move, announced on Monday, was made known to coalition chairperson Uhuru Kenyatta during a joint sitting of the coalition council and the National Executive Committee.
Tuju formally conveyed his decision through a letter addressed to Kenyatta, confirming that he had already briefed the coalition’s top organs earlier in the day. According to The Nation, Tuju stated in the letter:
“May I communicate my decision to resign as the Executive Director of Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party that I communicated to you and the Council this morning at the joint meeting of the Council and the NEC.”
Following his departure, Philip Kisia has been named as the new Executive Director and will now oversee the coalition’s administrative and coordination roles.
Tuju assumed the position in April 2022 as Azimio intensified preparations for the general election. His appointment was announced by Dennis Onyango, who was then the spokesperson for the late Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga.
“The Rt. Hon Raila Odinga, who is the Azimio Presidential Candidate, has appointed Raphael Tuju to be the Executive Director of the AZIMIO Secretariat. The appointment, which Tuju has accepted, takes effect immediately,” Onyango said.
“As Executive Director, Tuju will coordinate all member parties of Azimio and will lead the strategic and programme teams that will work to ensure Azimio's victory in the August elections."
Tuju’s move to the Azimio secretariat followed his exit from Uhuru Kenyatta’s Cabinet and his resignation as Jubilee Party Secretary General. At the time, he said the decision was driven by his wish to pursue other political interests.
“In January, I went to President Uhuru Kenyatta to ask for permission to exit his Cabinet because of my other ambitions. We didn’t make the announcement then, but I stopped being a member of his Cabinet so as to comply with other regulations,” Tuju said. He had been appointed a Cabinet Secretary without a docket in 2018.
In August 2025, Tuju also formally cut ties with Jubilee Party. In a letter to Kenyatta, who remains the party leader, Tuju said he no longer believed he was in a position to meaningfully contribute to the party’s direction.
“I still look forward to working with you in future. However, at the present time, I see no more value that I can add to the Jubilee Party. I therefore tender my resignation.
“Please accept my best wishes for your well-being and for the Party,” he wrote.
Tuju explained that he had spent six weeks outside the country and was not fully informed on recent internal developments. He expressed gratitude to Kenyatta for entrusting him with the role of Secretary General between 2016 and 2022, describing the appointment as politically bold.
He noted that his appointment was aimed at building a party with a national outlook, despite Jubilee being largely associated with the Kikuyu and Kalenjin communities, while he came from the Luo community.
Tuju said both he and Kenyatta had, at different times, faced resistance for failing to meet ethnic expectations. He recalled that the 2018 handshake between Kenyatta and Raila Odinga caused divisions within Jubilee and strained his relationship with William Ruto, even though attempts were made to manage the fallout.
He commended Kenyatta for choosing dialogue and peace through the handshake, saying the move helped avert unrest. Tuju observed that President William Ruto later took a similar path following the Gen Z protests of 2024.
“I remained loyal to you as President, Party Leader, and cabinet member,” Tuju said.
He added that his belief remains that Kenyans can work together to address unemployment and poverty instead of being driven by ethnic differences. Tuju wished Jubilee success and reflected on his long political engagement with Kenyatta.
Tuju’s appointment as Executive Director of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance came shortly after his exit from Jubilee. The coalition had Raila Odinga as its party leader and Uhuru Kenyatta as its chairperson.
