Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has convened the party's supreme decision-making arm, the National Delegates Convention, on Thursday to receive its blessing to run for president.
This will be the clearest signal yet the former vice president is determined to pull out all the stops to position himself as a formidable force in President Uhuru Kenyatta's succession.
Kalonzo, who is planning his second stab at the presidency since his 2007 debut, plans to assemble more than 6,000 party delegates from across the country at the expansive Kasarani gymnasium in a show of might.
The August 9, 2022, General Election is nine months away.
After months of uncertainty about his 2022 plans, Kalonzo will be trying to assuage fears in his strongholds that he could, for the third time, play second fiddle in the battle for the country's top job.
The Wiper leader has been ODM leader Raila Odinga’s running mate in the last two elections. He has stated he will not play second fiddle to anyone in 2022.
The Star understands Kalonzo has invited the country's big guns, including President Uhuru Kenyatta and his former Nasa allies, as well as his One Kenya Alliance.
Oka includes ANC boss Musalia Mudavadi, Kanu chairman Gideon Moi, Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang'ula, Cyrus Jirongo and a number of foreign dignitaries.
A Wiper technical committee, led by Mwingi Central MP Gideon Mulyungi, says it has finalised preparations for the mega event. It will be a strategic step in Kalonzo's bid to be the first among equals in the One Kenya Alliance.
Mudavadi has insisted he will run for president and won't back down.
"This NDC will be like no other. As the technical team planning this event, we have settled on Kasarani gymnasium to hold more than 5,000 party delegates and special guests,” Mulyungi told the Star in an interview.
The former Permanent Secretary said the day will mark the beginning of Kalonzo's journey to State House, representing a strong and united third force to face Deputy President William Ruto and ODM boss Raila Odinga.
Raila and Ruto are considered front runners.
Recently, some Wiper bigwigs issued an ultimatum to the party boss to either go for the presidency or lose their support in 2022.
The leaders, mainly MPs from Kalonzo's Ukambani backyard, warned the former VP against any attempt to withdraw his candidature in favour of anyone else, insisting the time ripe for him to go for the top job.
On Sunday, Wiper national vice chairman Victor Swanya Ogeto said Kalonzo's moment of truth is nigh as the country hurtles into the crucial phase of the succession battle.
"The time is ripe for the Wiper boss Kalonzo Musyoka to lead this country. He is the unifying factor that will serve as a bridge to the peace and stability this country needs to propel itself to the next stage of economic liberation," Ogeto said on the phone.
"The party delegates are getting ready to give our party leader the instruments to contest the presidency and without any delay roll out an elaborate national campaign."
Makueni MP Dan Maanzo, a close ally of the former Vice President, told the Star each constituency will bring at least 50 delegates to Nairobi for the conference.
We are going to nominate him as our candidate but that does not mean he will not negotiate with others.
Apart from nominating him to be Wiper's presidential candidate, Maanzo said the delegates will also make resolutions to guide the party going forward.
"We will have a NDC where we will give him (Kalonzo) a go-ahead to negotiate with like-minded people who share the same aspirations and ensure we either form or are part of the next government," Maanzo said on the phone.
"We are also going to nominate him as our candidate but that does not mean he will not negotiate with others."
Kalonzo's bid for the Wiper ticket is expected to intensify the battle for the Oka ticket and it raises his stakes as a major force in the 2022 succession plan as President Kenyatta's exit nears.
He will be the latest among the Oka principals to host an NDC after Musalia, Gideon and Wetang'ula received their parties' endorsements to run for president.
Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua said Wiper is leaving nothing to chance to assemble the biggest-ever political machine to propel Kalonzo to power.
"The Wiper journey to redeem this country starts on November 25. It will be the ultimate declaration by the party about its future plans," he said.
Kathiani MP Robert Mbui said the Thursday meeting will also give Kalonzo powers to negotiate outside Oka ahead of the polls.
"We will give clearance to the party leader to negotiate with other partners so we don't just stick with the team we have. We can expand it to include even Jubilee.
"They (Jubilee) have not concretised anything with ODM," Mbui said.
"We are inviting our friends from Oka, including Jubilee, because we signed an MoU with them on cooperation. We will even extend invitations to our former partners in Nasa."
The deputy minority leader in the National Assembly said the delegates will confirm the office bearers of the party as well as endorse the OKA coalition.
Wiper's National Executive Committee appointed new office bearers.
According to the Wiper Constitution, all decisions made by the NEC must be ratified by delegates during NDC to make them binding.
Kalonzo’s big day comes days before President Kenyatta and Raila held two separate meetings of crucial top party groups that will drastically change the State House race.
On Tuesday next week, the Kenyatta-led Jubilee Party will hold a major NDC to make changes in its top leadership. It will also ratify the 2022 pre-election coalition deal with Raila's ODM. The two dominant parties will back one presidential candidate.
Eight days later on December 9, Raila will preside over the last Azimio La Umoja meeting in Nairobi where he will declare his candidature.
(Edited by V. Graham)
