Political Analyst and Youth Leader Solomon Kuria Azimio La Umoja Youth League patron Solomon Kuria has tendered his resignation, citing exclusion from activities by the political entity. He faults Mr Odinga for reportedly planning to cause chaos by inciting his supporters, yet the Supreme Court already rendered its verdict on the outcome of the August election.
In a letter dated 8th December 2022, Kuria, who rose to popularity during the heated campaign period, claimed that organizers of the organizers of Wednesday’s public meeting in Kamukunji failed to notify him of plans for the rally. “It is strange that nobody found it necessary to consult or inform me of these plans much as I am the representative of the largest constituency of the membership of the party, the youth,” he wrote in part of the letter addressed to the National Chairman of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Council.
Adding: “For the avoidance of doubt, I would have said a big NO to the same, considering it goes against everything I assumed the Coalition stood for.” He has accused Mr Odinga and his Azimio associates of misusing the youth by making them waste the entire day at Kamukunji grounds and robbing them off a chance to generate an income. “We all know that youth are always the casualty in the event these activities become violent. I am aware the rally in Kamukunji was peaceful, however, it is inconceivable how leaders would be happy when youth spend a whole day listening to them two months after a gruelling electioneering period, coupled with COVID-19 pandemic and extremely high cost of living. Youth are supposed to be busy working or looking for opportunities not held hostage in unproductive political rallies,” it adds.
He has further appealed to Azimio La Umoja Leadership to use other means to communicate to Kenyans instead of public rallies. “These and many other reasons make me feel that this Party has chosen a different path from the one that was agreed upon at inception. I can not be a member, leave alone an official, of a Political Party that seems to stand for everything I don’t believe in. This letter is to inform you that I have resigned with immediate effect as the Chairman of the Azimio Youth League,” it concludes. At the height of the 2022 campaign period, Mr Kuria was a household name among both the Azimio and UDA support base with his emotion-charged and often dramatic videos drumming support for Raila Odinga’s fifth presidential bid.
Ever since his preferred candidate lost, Mr Kuria has kept a low profile.
Although he occasionally shares posts on social media, he is certainly not as active as before.