ODM chief Raila Odinga is set to formally team up with the One Kenya Alliance in a major political triumph over Deputy President William Ruto.
The Star has established that Oka, led by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, will attend a joint ODM and Jubilee National Delegates Convention on Saturday where the deal will be inked.
Also to attend the meeting are Kanu Chairman Gideon Moi, Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua and UDP boss Cyrus Jirongo.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, who will chair a two-day Jubilee NDC on Friday and Saturday, will personally be present at the signing ceremony creating a behemoth political force with multiple parties with multiple conditions for inclusion.
More than 10 political parties supporting Raila's candidature under the Azimio La Umoja Movement will also sign the political pact, reducing the August 9 contest to a two-horse race between the ODM chief and Ruto.
As a sign that Kalonzo and Raila were headed to the same camp, the two met in Mombasa where they held parallel rallies on Sunday.
“Kalonzo and Rao [Raila Amolo Odinga] spent the night at Tamarind and had breakfast together,” a source familiar with the behind-the-scenes intrigues told the Star.
On Sunday ODM chairman John Mbadi was guarded on what will transpire during the two-day conference.
The National Assembly Minority leader in a telling admission, however. confirmed they have invited all the political parties within OKA.
He further stated that all other friendly parties such as PNU, DAP-K, Narc, Muungano among others. have also been invited.
"We have invited all the parties in Oka, remember Raila also attended Kanu and Wiper's delegates meetings. We have invited all of them," Mbadi said.
He added,"Whether there is something big that will come out of it, let's avoid speculations this early."
PNU led by Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi and Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya have separately planned their NDCs on Thursday.
“The agenda of the meeting shall be to discuss and ratify coalition building and the party's working relationship with other like-minded political parties and other related matters,” a notice of PNU's National Delegate's Conference reads.
It has also emerged that Oka will officially unveil its presidential flagbearer on Friday, the same day the ODM and Jubilee NDCs are held.
Oka spokesman Fredrick Okango told the Star that the coalition instruments will be deposited with the Registrar of Political Parties on the same day.
“On that day, we shall unveil our flagbearer, coalition symbol, seal and flag,” Okango told the Star, adding that all the principals have equal chances of being named the Coalition's candidate.
Yellow fever [derogatory reference to UDA] is a no-go zone. We can work with any party or Coalition but not the so-called Kenya Kwanza
With Oka having its own presidential flagbearer, they will team up with Azimio as equal partners and with the agreement that the joint presidential candidate will be unveiled later.
Okango said after identifying their flagbearer and depositing the instruments with the Registrar, they will be ready to enagage with other political parties and coalitions that share their ideologies.
He ruled out any deal with Kenya Kwanza led by the DP.
“Yellow fever [derogatory reference to UDA] is a no-go zone. We can work with any party or Coalition but not the so-called Kenya Kwanza,” Okango said. “The Coalition talks must be structured, open and honest.”
Speaking in Mombasa, Kalonzo said if there would be any coalition talks, “they will be on the basis of structured dialogue.”
“Those who want to speak with us must demonstrate good faith. The discussions must be in good faith, without saying this or that,” the former Vice President said.
Kalonzo also said the team must come to the table for a structured conversation where he would be treated as an equal partner.
“Let them also know that the dialogue has to be structured and it would be on the basis of equality of partnership,” he said.
ODM is set to have its NDC at the Kasarani gymnasium on Saturday.
This meeting will be preceded by the National Governing Council (NGC) meeting on Friday at Co-operative University, Karen.
During the two days, Uhuru will separately chair a two-day Jubilee NDC at the KICC before teaming up with Raila at Kasarani.
Before the NDC, Uhuru will have a big meeting at the Sagana State Lodge this week as part of the bigger plan to turn the tables on Ruto.
There is already a major campaign to revitalise Jubilee, especially in Central Kenya to deflate Ruto's gains.
Other than big meetings by Uhuru's allied MPs in their constituencies this weekend, huge billboards have been erected in parts of Nairobi and Central with Jubilee' message.
“We promised, we have delivered,” some of the billboards with the President's image read.
Speaking to the Star, a high-ranking official within ODM said there will be a session on Saturday where more than 10 political parties that have agreed to work under Azimio will be paraded, launching the march to State House.
"Each party leadership will come and give their commitment by signing," a source told the Star.
A high-profile meeting over weekend is said to have hammered out the deal in which Raila would be working together with Kalonzo again.
Kalonzo is said to have demanded a coalition-to-coalition agreement where Oka and Azimio would be treated as coalitions but the idea was dropped as it had no legal basis.
Instead, parties will now sign in their individual capacities.
"The parties will be signing as single entity, there will be no coalition to coalition deal," the source added.
In the coalition to coalition deal, Oka is said to have demanded a share of half the government appointments and running mate position.
Democratic Action Party (DAP-K) secretary general Eseli Simiyu told the Star that his party has made up its mind to support Azimio and is open to making commitment to that effect.
"We are clear that we are supporting Azimio, we have no problem committing to the same," the Tongaren MP said.
(Edited by V. Graham)
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