Oka bosses and their allies are dropping hints of sealing a deal with ODM boss Raila Odinga ahead of the polls.
Abandoned by ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, the remainders, mainly Wiper's Kalonzo Musyoka and Kanu's Gideon Moi, appear to be charting another course.
The alliance is embarking on a series of rallies in Rift Valley and Nyanza this week to market the diminished outfit after the surprise exit of ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi who joined Deputy President William Ruto in Kenya Kwanza.
On Monday, allies of Kalonzo and Gideon ruled out any possibility of working with Ruto, but they left the door wide open for Raila and Azimio La Umoja.
“Their walking out on Musalia just tells you they didn’t agree on that [joining Ruto]," Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr, said.
"That is clear that in the question of supporting DP, they are easily taking a position,” he added.
The Wiper national vice chairman hinted at a possibility of Oka being registered as a political party before signing a pre-election agreement with Azimio.
“They will be open to structured dialogue at some point but not with Ruto. So, we cannot rule out anything right now," he said.
Kanu secretary general Nick Salat said, “This thing [political re-alignments] will mutate and mutate. We can join Azimio or go along the way.”
While excluding Ruto from the equation, Makueni MP Dan Maanzo, an ally of Kalonzo, said Oka's doors are wide open for "like-minded" political players.
“We said Ruto is not an option. The day Mudavadi said Raila is not an option, we said Ruto is not an option. We can still work with Raila provided he keeps his word,” the MP told the Star.
Oka now consists of Gideon's Kanu, Kalonzo's Wiper and the United Democratic Party headed by Cyrus Jirongo.
Others are Narc Kenya of Martha Karua and National Assembly speaker Justin Muturi’s Democratic Party.
With the chiefs ruling out working with Ruto, they are left with limited options — go whole hog to the ballot or partner with Raila and other players.
On January 23, ANC's Mudavadi and Ford Kenya boss Moses Wetang'ula teamed up with Ruto, diminishing the alliance once billed as a third force and alternative
During Musalia’s NDC meeting where his party announced teaming up with Ruto, Gideon and Kalonzo stormed out in protest. They were not consulted.
Moments later, they announced they were severing links with Mudavadi.
“Unfortunately, we have to part ways since some of his friends are not our friends and we are unsafe with them,” Fred Okango, Kanu’s secretary of political affairs and Oka spokesperson, said.
They reinforced remarks by some of the principals at the weekend pointing at a possible deal with the former Prime Minister in the race to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Speaking during the homecoming of Trans Nzoia governor hopeful George Natembeya on Saturday, Jirongo appeared to throw his weight behind Raila’s bid. He urged his Oka partners to back the former PM for president.
“Raila is very close to the presidency and we cannot afford to leave him when he is so close to the presidency. Even those in Oka should work with ODM because that is how we are going to win,” he said.
Meanwhile, the alliance bosses have sustained their countrywide campaigns.
After visiting Kitui, Makueni, Machakos and Kirinyaga counties last week, the team is headed to DP Ruto's Bomet turf on Wednesday.
They will storm Raila’s Nyanza backyard on Thursday before returning to Rift Valley for former President Daniel Moi’s death anniversary.
(Edited by V. Graham)
