The Star has established Raila and Kalonzo are in discreet talks and a new deal could be inked before the end of this week.
At the centre of the truce is Gideon, the scion of the late President Daniel Moi, who has become President Uhuru Kenyatta's “Mr Fix it”, especially in containing the Azimio fallout.
On Monday, Matungulu MP Stephen Mule described Gideon as the “overseer” of the new pact.
“The negotiations are at the level of the three key principals — Uhuru, Raila and Kalonzo — plus Gideon. Gideon is the overseer,” Mule told the Star.
Gideon on Monday vowed to support Raila's presidential bid and described Azimio as "the way."
“Azimio is the way and we cannot, as the people of Baringo, afford to be locked out of government. We have to fight for it until we get in ‘ndani ndani, ndani’” he said in Kabarnet town after being cleared by the IEBC to defend his seat.
Azimio think tanks believe with Kalonzo on Raila's side, the ODM leader will have a comfortable fighting chance and could win the August 9 vote in the first round.
“That (Azimio) is where we are heading, but right now negotiations are going on. Once everything is set, he (Kalonzo) will pronounce himself on it...But before this week ends, we should be seeing light at the end of the tunnel,” Mule said.
Gideon, a close family friend of the Kenyattas, does not see eye-to-eye with Deputy President William Ruto.
On January 23, he and Kalonzo walked out of ANC boss Musalia Mudavadi's National Delegates Conference after learning that Ruto would attend the event.
Sources said the night before Raila unveiled Karua as his running mate, Gideon facilitated a meeting between the leaders in an effort to persuade Kalonzo to drop his bid.
Though the talks were not entirely successfully, they agreed to give themselves a 14-day window for further negotiations.
On the D-day, the Baringo senator shuttled between KICC, where Raila was unveiling Karua, to Kalonzo's SKM Command Centre, where the Wiper boss unveiled Andrew Sunkuli.
Kalonzo has kept off the limelight since unveiling his running mate, sending everyone guessing about his next move.
But Makueni MP Dan Maanzo and his Kathiani counterpart Robert Mbui told the Star Kalonzo’s candidature could spell doom to Azimio’s chances and all efforts must be made to have the initial coalition team face the polls as a unit.
“The best thing, I believe, is the three must sit down before June 4 and resolve any pending matter and agree,” Maanzo said on the phone.
Mbui also confirmed ongoing discussion to have the former Vice President return to Azimio but did not rule out going it solo should the talks collapse.
“We are preparing to go to the ballot, if we cannot strike a deal,” Mbui said on Monday.
The lawmaker said Kalonzo’s share in the Azimio government should be made clear and in writing.
At the moment, Mbui said Kalonzo has nothing specific under his name if Azimio wins.
This is despite Raila naming Kalonzo as the Chief Cabinet Minister with the overall responsibility of coordinating and supervising government functions, if they win.
This, Maanzo said, must be done in writing owing to the mistrust that has existed between the leaders since the days of Narc and Nasa.
The Makueni lawmaker also admitted there is a lot of pressure from Wiper aspirants pushing for Kalonzo’s Azimio return.
According to Maanzo, most of the aspirants are staring at multi-million waste as most of them had branded their campaign merchandise on Azimio colours.
“Our aspirants have already invested, branded in Azimio colours and have made a case that we should reconsider our position and work under Azimio,” he said.
Even as his allies push for his reunion with Raila, some sources on Monday intimated to the Star that the Wiper boss is quietly planning to launch his campaigns this weekend in the event they do not reach a deal.
The development may complicate further his expected return to the Azimio camp.
Kalonzo is expected to grace the homecoming ceremony for his running mate Andrew Sunkuli in Narok East this Saturday at the historic Suswa shrine. Gideon is expected to attend the function.
He will also attend a Manyatta ceremony in Kilgoris on Friday as part of his two-day tour of the county.
"We are ready to receive him. As a community, we are happy because he has considered one of the leaders here for such a big post," Sunkuli said.
Sunkuli, however, refused to comment if they are ready to rejoin Azimio only saying he was not under authority to talk about it.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
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