INTRICACIES OF COALITION BUILDING IN KENYA.

 Coalition building isn't walk in the park. It is one of the most Herculean tasks politicians and political parties goes through. Coming out with a tangible Coalition that is functional and fully registered with the office of the registrar of political parties ( ORPP) requires dedication , commitment , serious taming of ego and ambitions. Kenya ushered in multipartyism back in 1992 , after the Autocratic and authoritarian KANU regime led by the late President Moi became adamant. Led a serious crackdown on second liberation heroes which comprised the civil societies , young lawyers , thr church , university students and dons to business magnates who were fighting for pluralism to be ushered in Kenya. Many people lost their lives , properties and even , suffered serious psychological torture.

After the repeal of section 2A of the constitution , multipartyism was introduced in Kenya though president Moi and his coteries were still not sure that is what thry wanted. Pressure from the donor community is what made Moi to cow in. The first multi-party election took plave in December 1992. The division within the opposition aided the KANU regime to clinch victory. Either legitimately or through hook and crook. The Ford Kenya , Ford Asili and DP neutered each other politically and aided KANU under Moi to sneak back to Power. The same problem replicated itself back in 1997. This time round , more political parties had resurfaced. That were Safina , Social Democratic Party ( SDP) , National Development Party ( NDP) , Ford People etc 

This political parties failed to tame their egos , ambitions and greed for power from their party leaders and agree to form an alliance because that was the only sure way they would have sent the KANU regime packing. President Moi played the divide and rule tactics. Word has it , some of the political parties by then we're being funded by the State inorder to divide votes and ensure especially DP under Kibaki won't see the light of the day.  President Moi singled out DP because it was the one which was representing the face of serious opposition and threat to his rule because it harboured serious business magnates and oligarchs from Mt Kenya region. The residents of the larger Central province were behind Kibaki. If only this Political parties formed a formidable Coalition thru would have sent President Moi packing.  Does it mean they didn't learn from the blunder they made back in 1992?

Enter 2002 and this time round , opposition political parties came to a realization that, it is only after coming together and form a Coalition party that they will succeed in overthrowing KANU regime from power. The first to moot that idea were Democratic Party (DP) under Kibaki , Social Democratic Party (SDP) under Charity Ngilu and Ford Kenya under Kijana Wamalwa. The three had tried their stab in vying for presidential seat back in 1997.  They formed the National Alliance Party of Kenya ( NAK). The three had settled on Mwai Kibaki to be the Alliance presidential candidate.

After the likes of Raila Odinga , George Saitoti , Kalonzo Musyoka , Dalmas Otieno , Prof. Anyang Ny'ongo et al led a rebellion in KANU after President Moi settled on the little known Uhuru Kenyatta whom they termed a johnny come late , a political novice , clueless and a non starter. They broke away , rode on a little known party Liberal Democratic Party ( LDP) which they used to negotiate with NAK. The other entrant was Ford People party led by Someone Nyachae. Unfortunately , it is Raila Odinga who fixed Nyachae by declaring Kibaki Tosha slogan infront of a sea of humanity who had turned at UHURU park. When Raila endorsed Kibaki's presidential candidature to flag the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) , it was CERTIFIED by the masses who were yearning for a regime change. The country was pregnant with change. A Regime change for that matter.

The intricacies of building Coalition party and a Coalition of parties is currently being witnessed. Heads are rolling. Divisions are eminent and backstabbing and politics of betrayal , deceit and conmanship are in top gear. History is bound to repeat itself after the Azimio la Umoja one Kenya Alliance coalition party was formed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his erstwhile political rival turned ally Raila Odinga and a litany of political parties. As we speak , thr Kalonzo Musyoka issue is the one putting tjr Coalition party in a precarious situation.

There is pull and push but the princials are working hard to irin the issues out. So far , it is evident that , there is no single political party that can clinch the presidential seat alone. A precedent which was set back in 2002 , 20 years later it is with us today. In 2013 , Jubilee Alliance won. It was made up of Ruto's (URP) and UHURU's ( TNA). In 2017 , this political parties and others amalgamated to form a single political party known as Jubilee Party. The bromance between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy President William Ruto is in High Dependancy Unit ( HDU). Gloves are off and thr pregnancy cannot be hidden. Anytime , the baby will be born.

In Kenya Kwanza Alliance , this is a mongrel of a Coalition of political parties. It is shrouded in SECRECY and hypocrisy. It is an alliance where one political party which is a member of that Alliance has produced both the presidential aspirant and his running mate at the same time. Hilarious!!! From where am seated , UDA , which is the major stakeholder in they Alliance is calling the short. It is the big brother. The rest are just the rest. The stick and the carrot politics is highly at play. It is all over. You must be given the conditions of what to give inorder to receive a share of the government and State positions if the Alliance will clinch the presidential seat.

UDA's presidential aspirant DP Ruto has both the knife and the yam. He is the one calling shot and the part leaders of other political parties are his workers. That is what they aren't aware but to nurse their egos , they christen themselves as Coalition principals. The way CORD of 2013 and NASA of 2017 , tells you how Coalition building in KENYA'S political space is a difficult task. Starting is somehow looking simple though there are challenges here and there but maintaining it is where the buck stops. Let's hope some of this Coalition of parties and Coalition political party will see the light by the end of the day. It is not that easy.