Opposition leader Raila Odinga has begun a series of consultative meetings across the country to prepare his supporters for his big announcement, which he says he will make next week.
Mr Odinga, who kicked off the consultative meetings in his Luo Nyanza backyard, said such meetings would be extended across the country as he seeks input from his supporters before making his 'earth-shattering' announcement following his failed bid for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission.
This came as Nation.Africa learnt that both Mr Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) were separately planning to hold meetings of their top party organs to ratify a possible political deal.
ODM had initially planned to hold its national central committee meeting on Wednesday but has since postponed it to next Monday. It was not immediately clear when UDA planned to hold its meeting.
As soon as Mr Odinga finished in Mombasa on Monday, February 24, he flew to Kisumu in the afternoon and was received by Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang Nyong'o.
For almost two hours on Monday evening, the interim ODM leader briefed Mr Odinga on what was happening in the party while he was in Addis Ababa.
On Tuesday morning, Mr Odinga began his consultative meetings in Kisumu, mainly with the youth, women, county assembly members, party officials and the Luo Council of Elders.
He first met the elders at his home in Riat where he said he briefed them on his trip to Addis and the way forward.
The ODM leader later met about 20 youth leaders from Kisumu County, a move seen as a first step to reach out to the vote-rich constituency (the youth) whose voices have been loud and cannot be wished away, especially after the GenZ revolt and protests that almost ousted Ruto from power.
The closed-door meeting was attended only by Governor Nyong'o, Kisumu Speaker Elisha Oraro, Majority Whip Seth Kanga and Paul Akeyo, the ODM Kisumu County Coordinating Committee Chairman.
"Today, I met the elders and youth and shared with them my experience during the AU elections. I told them that this chapter is now behind us and we must now look forward because as I said before, there will be life after Addis Ababa," said Mr Odinga.
The elders were from various counties in Siaya, Migori, Kisumu and Homa Bay.
"I will also be talking to the leadership and supporters from Kisii, Western, Coast, Rift Valley, Eastern, North Eastern and Central during this period before I make a comprehensive statement next week. And like I said, watch this space," Mr Odinga said.
According to some of his aides, the ODM leader is focused on strengthening the party so that it's a formidable force ahead of 2027. He wants other parties to join us, not the other way around.
Mr Odinga has always maintained that he wants ODM to be stronger, but he is particularly keen on the youth playing an active role in achieving this and later taking power in 2027.
His meeting with the youth comes a day before Mr Odinga chairs an ODM Central Management Committee meeting in Nairobi on Wednesday.
It will be the first one he chairs after leaving the party's control under Governor Nyong'o in October last year.
The meeting is expected to set the roadmap for the party, which is currently at a crossroads with leaders and members taking different positions on the new-found relationship between Dr Ruto and Mr Odinga that led to the birth of the broad-based government.
This week's meetings will culminate in a mega ODM Western Region Delegates Conference in Busia on Friday with the theme: Celebrating Unity and Diversity, which will also mark 20 years of democracy in Busia. The meeting will start at 10 am after breakfast at the Busia Governor's residence, Dr Paul Otuoma.
Before that, he will be in Bungoma County on Thursday where he will open an ODM office.
Mr Odinga's re-entry into the country's political arena, targeting the youth vote, has left friends and foes guessing whether it is part of his plan to contest the presidency for a sixth term or an attempt to fix his new ally President William Ruto's problems with the vote-rich constituency.
According to insiders who attended the 30-minute meeting with Mr Odinga in Kisumu, the Azimio leader is said to have sought their blessings for ODM to enter into a structured pact with Dr Ruto's Kenya Kwanza before and after the 2027 elections.
"We had a good meeting with Baba and he asked us to prepare the ground ahead of his agreement which will be announced next week. He asked us to prepare the people on the ground so that when the announcement is made there will be no disturbance. And if there is an uproar, he advised us to handle it by making his supporters understand why he has taken this step," said one of the youths, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
He pointed out that Mr Odinga said Dr Ruto had stood by him and therefore they should allow him to work with him ahead of 2027.
According to him, the ODM leader is prepared for both reactions but has convinced them that the move will be helpful to the region.
There has been turmoil in ODM with many senior leaders questioning the new working relationship with Dr Ruto, with many fearing that the President has fallen out of favour with many Kenyans and therefore any efforts to help him will not bear fruit but only incur the wrath of the public.
Interim party leader Governor Nyong'o fired a warning shot at Kenya Kwanza on Saturday, saying they will jump ship if Dr Ruto's government continues to ignore the cries of Kenyans.
During the closed-door meeting at Kisumu City Hall, another youth said some of them asked Mr Odinga to let them benefit directly from the government as they often do the hard work only to be forgotten when the spoils are shared.
"Some of the issues we raised were the need to include more youths in the cabinet, county governments as well as nominations in county assemblies. He assured us that these and more will be achieved with the new dispensation that starts next week," the youth said.
As soon as he landed back in the country on Monday, Mr Odinga met the President and later the two addressed the country from Mombasa State Lodge.
Since then, there has been speculation that a deal was signed by the two leaders after some documents, party officials and legal experts from both sides were present.
According to sources, this may have happened and will only be made public next week by the two top leaders.
Some of the immediate benefits ODM is said to be expecting include the completion of development projects, and more public appointments especially Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and the parastatals that are being restructured.
According to sources, the new deal will also see the Orange Party secure the position of Deputy President should it support Dr Ruto's re-election bid in 2027.
Dr Ruto had said on Monday that together with Mr Odinga, they will continue to drive the country's agenda and nation-building by expanding their engagement to achieve what will bring equity, prosperity and transformation to the nation.
