OKA faces imminent collapse as principals lean towards DP, Raila

Touted as the third political force at conception, the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) faces imminent collapse as its leaders appear to lean towards Deputy President William Ruto or Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga.

Suspicion has deepened in the alliance following reports of the DP talking to Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya colleague in an effort to form a coalition ahead of the elections.

The other OKA bosses – Wiper Party’s Kalonzo Musyoka and Gideon Moi of Kanu – appear to lean towards Mr Odinga who is backed by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Wiper and Kanu have formal working agreements with President Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party.

Instructively, when an amendment to the Political Parties Act providing that a coalition political party deposits a pre-election agreement six months to the General Election was floated, Mr Musyoka supported it.

The Political Parties (Amendment) Bill fronted by the President and Mr Odinga, however, angered ANC and Ford-Kenya, who argued it was designed to force OKA to make public its election strategy by February. ANC and Ford-K said it would coerce them to support Mr Odinga, a narrative also pushed by Dr Ruto.

The DP’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party says it has written to ANC and Ford-K for coalition talks. Dr Ruto even appeared at an event in Kakamega hosted by a Mudavadi ally.

While Mr Musyoka, Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetang’ula were united in accusing Mr Odinga of betrayal for insisting on contesting the presidency this year, contrary to an earlier agreement under the National Super Alliance (Nasa) in 2017, the latest developments have put a strain on their relation.

The three leaders did not respond to our calls and text messages yesterday.

Mr Musyoka later said Mr Wetang’ula would have an interview with NTV today.

ANC deputy leader, Ayub Savula, who has since backed Mr Odinga’s presidential bid, declared OKA dead adding that the UDA-ANC-Ford Kenya talks would destroy the coalition.

“OKA is dead. Kalonzo and Moi are heading to Azimio la Umoja Movement,” he said referring to the coalition ODM expects to form with Jubilee.

“Things are moving very fast. UDA has opened a lid that will bring trouble in OKA.”

Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga are pushing the changes to the law to facilitate the registration of a coalition political party thought to be Azimio La Umoja on whose ticket the latter is expected to contest the presidency.

“There will be mistrust in OKA after UDA messed it up. I am in ANC but fully support Azimio,” Mr Savula said.

The Lugari lawmaker, however, added that he is not aware of any letter by UDA to ANC.

UDA Secretary General, Veronica Maina, told the Daily Nation that the party wrote the letters to ANC and Ford-K and is waiting for responses.

Ford-K Secretary General, Chris Wamalwa, did not respond to our calls and text messages when contacted on the issue.

Even worse for OKA, Kanu Secretary General Nick Salat said the next step for the party regarding coalitions would be informed by the outcome of the special sitting of the National Assembly on the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

“The political space will keep mutating as things will depend on the outcome of the vote in the House,” Mr Salat told the Daily Nation.

He added that confirmation by UDA that it is courting ANC and Ford Kenya “is clear testimony on who is the weakest link in OKA”.

“What happens at night will be revealed in daytime,” Mr Salat said.

Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr said OKA is intact.

“UDA knows that every vote in the presidential race will count. This will be another election of thin margins,” the Wiper Party chairman said. 

Read: ANC remains buoyant in the face of haemorrhage

“UDA knows the value of every OKA principal. The overtures to ANC and Ford Kenya should not surprise anybody.”

While at the finals of a football tournament organised by Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala in Mumias on Friday, the DP said he had informed Mr Mudavadi about his going to Western kenya.

“I respect Mudavadi. I inform him every time I come to Western,” he said.

Mr Savula announced last week that ANC would hold its National Delegates Conference (NDC) this month, during which Mr Mudavadi would seek approval to begin talks with other parties.

There are reports of Mr Musyoka considering working with Mr Odinga for the third time.

The two leaders ran on a joint presidential ticket in 2013 and 2017.

[email protected]