ODM chief Raila Odinga's political machine is to be unveiled on February 26, after twin two-day Nation Delegates Conventions by both Jubilee and ODM.
The Star has established that on the 26th, Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his One Kenya Alliance will formally team up with Raila in a juggernaut of at least 19 parties.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is at the centre of the new political tack as he tries to turn the tables against his deputy, William Ruto.
Raila and Uhuru are working on what some insiders term 'the mother of all coalitions' that will be announced at Nyayo Stadium.
Jubilee and ODM have scheduled their NDCs on the same days, February 25 and 26 – at KICC and Nyayo Stadium, respectively.
According to the plan, delegates of the two parties shall then converge at Nyayo where Raila will be unveiled as the Azimio La Umoja presidential flagbearer.
It remains unclear whether Uhuru, who will be leading the Jubilee NDC, would attend the Nyayo Stadium rally.
OKA bringing together Kalonzo, Martha Karua (Narc Kenya), Gideon Moi (Kanu) and Cyrus Jirongo (UDA) are working on a tight schedule to have their parties approve the deal.
“We [Oka parties] have scheduled our NEC meetings early to ratify the decision to work with Raila before [February] 26the,” an insider aware of the plans told the Star.
Ahead of D-Day in what appears a well-coordinated plan, Oka parties will on Tuesday hold their National Executive Council (NEC) meetings to approve the deal with Raila.
Wiper, Narc Kenya and Kanu have their meetings on Tuesday.
“Yes, we will hold our NEC on Tuesday to hear from our leaders and discuss where they want to take us and make a decision,” Makueni MP Dan Maanzo confirmed to the Star.
The coming together of Oka and Raila will reduce the State House battle to a two-horse race, pitting Ruto under Kenya Kwanza Alliance against Raila under the Azimio-Oka banner.
The Kenya Kwanza alliance comprises Ruto’s UDA, Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC and Moses Wetangula’s Ford Kenya.
Last week, Jubilee secretary general Raphael Tuju and his ODM counterpart Edwin Sifuna gave a notice of their NDC meetings.
The NDCs, the top decision making organ of the outfits, will among other actions sanction the formation of the political coalitions.
Jubilee Coalition Joint Parliamentary Group Secretary Adan Keynan said that besides re-branding and revitalising the party, the NDC will lay out strategies to shore up Raila’s votes.
“We have at our disposal not just the numbers but also a multiplicity of thinkers and doers. This will be an extremely strategic pool for whoever we resolve to support for the presidency,” he said
Jubilee has been silent because it has been at work. Now that the political season is here, it is moving into politics
The Eldas MP added, “We will be a formidable force to reckon with by the time we leave KICC on February 26.”
Last Friday, the President, who is also the Jubilee Party leader, chaired the outfit’s parliamentary group meeting at State House where plans to revitalise the party were discussed.
At the meeting, it was resolved the President remains the party leader and personally takes charge of reviving the party’s fortunes, especially in Mt Kenya.
“Jubilee has been silent because it has been at work. Now that the political season is here, it is moving into politics,” Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu quoted the President as saying after the meeting.
Azimio la Umoja is set to be registered as a coalition political party with about 15 affiliate political parties. Plus four in Oka, it's 19.
They include ODM, Jubilee, Democratic Action Party –Kenya (DAP-K), The Pamoja African Alliance Party (PAA), Kenya United Party (KUP), Upia, Devolution Empowerment Party (DEP) and Party of National Unity (PNU).
Others are Ubuntu, Narc, Muungano, Movement for Democratic and Growth (MDG), United Democratic Movement (UDM) and Maendeleo Chap Chap.
Together with the four parties forming Oka – Wiper, Narc Kenya, UDP and Kanu – Raila’s coalition could be one of the biggest in the country’s political history.
The former prime minister will be making a fifth stab at the presidency and enjoys the President's backing.
Last week, the Star established the Oka bosses have agreed in principal to join Raila but sought to consult their members to ratify the same before signing an agreement.
After their NEC meetings, Oka principals will embark on series of public rallies to market their new deal with Raila ahead of the elections.
Sources intimate that the Oka bosses have already crafted a technical team that is currently working on the alliance ‘irreducible minimums'.
On Sunday, Kalonzo rejected claims that they have placed conditions and irreducible minimums for the OKA team to team up with Raila.
Kalonzo said OKA principals are leaders of integrity and cannot put conditions on other people in order to work with them.
Further the Wiper leader said OKA is growing strong and its other formations that are welcomed to join the movement.
During the signing of the deed of assignment last Wednesday, Kalonzo admitted he and his colleagues have been approached to join forces with Raila’s Azimio.
“That assertion (of joining forces with Azimio) has been there and that is why we are saying we are open to like-minded political formations,” the Wiper boss said.
He added, “But the mode of engagement in that kind of dialogue shall be open, inclusive, transparent and fully consultative.”
In a joint statement read by Gideon, the leaders said they were open to negotiations with other political formations that share their ideology that includes zero tolerance to corruption.
“This shall involve structures and open negotiation, which must include resolution of the country’s crippling debt portfolio and discussion of exploitation of our natural resources to address the debt and create employment,” they said in the statement.
Kalonzo has often ruled out re-uniting with Raila whom he has supported as running mate in both the 2013 and 2017 general elections.
But with diminishing options and the President’s personal involvement, Kalonzo's reunion with the former Prime Minister is closer to reality.
(Edited by V. Graham)
