The country is bracing for a behemoth political machine reminiscent of the Narc juggernaut that vanquished Kanu in 2002 and ended Daniel Moi's 24-year stranglehold on power.
Details have emerged that President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM boss Raila Odinga are building a massive grouping to block Deputy President William Ruto's ascent to power.
Indicating the vehicle is taking shape, Raila on Tuesday said efforts are underway bringing on board key players to build a movement to capture power next year.
"We will unveil the vehicle that has space for the diversity of Kenyans to the Promised Land," the former Prime Minister said in Nakuru.
The ODM chief's remarks – coupled with a move by President Kenyatta to sustain his campaign to unite One Kenya Alliance chiefs with Raila – has revealed the momentum for a broad-based coalition.
The President on Wednesday held a second meeting in a week with the Oka principals and Raila at State House, Mombasa, pushing for an anti-Ruto force.
It emerged Oka bosses Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Moses Wetang'ula (Ford Kenya) and Kanu's Gideon Moi ceded some ground and tabled conditions for backing Raila.
“It is going to be interesting going forward because as you can clearly see, a major political coalition is in the works,” former Dagoretti South MP Denis Waweru said.
The co-chair of the Building Bridges Initiative, which sponsored the constitutional amendment BBI Bill, said the country's 2022 political landscape will shift completely.
“It is not a matter of if but when the alliance will take shape,” Waweru said, adding the formula being crafted by Uhuru and Raila will annihilate any challenge.
Key opposition figures latched on a thunderous "Mwaki Kibaki Tosha" declaration by Raila in 2002 to defeat Kanu's bid for a lifetime grip on the presidency.
Kenyatta, who was Moi's choice of heir, against whom the opposition chiefs rallied in a rare unity, has changed roles and is now unifying his former adversaries.
With only 354 days to the end of his final term, the President has surprised friends and shocked foes with his insistence on bringing together opposition leaders to defeat his own deputy.
Unlike Ruto who has been pushed from the centre of power, Uhuru himself was in government in the lead-up to the 2002 polls and benefited from massive state backing.
However, Kibaki won a decisive landslide victory against him, sending Kanu into the dungeon of political oblivion that would erase its national influence.
Tellingly, the President's ruling Jubilee Party has endorsed a plan to enter into a pre-election coalition with Raila's ODM, signalling the advanced stages in the process to craft the mega coalition.
With Kanu already in a coalition with Jubilee and Wiper having a cooperation agreement with the ruling party, analysts opine that the creation of the broader coalition will face little or no resistance.
There are indications that in coming weeks, the Jubilee outfit will agree on a framework of engagement with ODM and start crafting a coalition that later includes the Oka chiefs.
“The next president is going to come from the coalition we are building with ODM. Soon, the process of crafting the terms of engagement will begin,” National Assembly Deputy Majority Whip Maoka Maore said.
Maore, a key ally of the President, insisted the working arrangement between Jubilee and ODM will open doors for other like-minded parties to join.
“We have said Jubilee and ODM will be more than willing to expand the coalition to include other players so we strengthen the team to deliver the presidency in Round One,” he said.
In fact, the President has asked Oka to fold up and join Jubilee and ODM.
The President is said to have told the Oka chiefs on Wednesday they needed to work on a plan to close shop and cross over to the formula Jubilee and ODM are crafting.
The Oka principals on Tuesday had failed to name their 2022 flag-bearer, technically giving room for ongoing negotiations for a single coalition.
On Thursday, Lugari MP Ayub Savula claimed the Oka chiefs will not fold their fledgling alliance and warned such a move will hobble Musalia's bid to win the presidency next year.
“We have insisted we shall remain in Oka and work as a team to produce a joint presidential candidate but we have heard there are plans to force our principals to abandon Oka,” the MP said.
Savula is among the ANC hardliners who have insisted Musalia must be on the ballot as Oka's joint presidential candidate, arguing that it is Raila who should join them instead.
Political analysts have warned that unless the Oka chiefs unite and back one of the principals as the joint presidential candidate next year, Ruto could drive them into political oblivion.
“The Oka principals must unite and work with Raila if they have any chance of being in the next government. On their own, they cannot go anywhere,” analyst Lawrence Okioma said.
The university lecturer said the DP's growing popularity in the country requires a joint effort by his rivals if they are to destroy his chances of succeeding Uhuru.
“The writing is on the wall that these Oka leaders cannot sustain a challenge against Ruto on their own. If they go their separate ways, they will hand their rival an easy ride to State House,” he said.
Some of the President's allies have said he is vigorously trying to bring together all opposition chiefs who worked together under Nasa in 2017.
Only a week ago, the President told the Oka chiefs he is ready to back them if they agree to support Raila as their joint presidential candidate.
“The ongoing process is aimed at building a bigger alliance that will bring together as many leaders as possible so that we form a team that will win in the first round," Nominated MP Maina Kamanda said.
He revealed that teams are already in place to examine the technical areas of cooperation as the alliance takes shape.
Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga, a Raila ally, said the ODM and Jubilee coalition will morph into a major movement that will sweep the country.
"It is going to be earthshaking," Wanga said
The MP said she hopes Oka chiefs will see the light and join forces with ODM and Jubilee.
(Edited by V. Graham)
