Soon after the1997 General Election, the then-ruling party (Kanu) and Raila Odinga's NDP fronted a loose alliance baptised ‘co-operation’, which gradually edged closer into a ‘partnership’, and then ultimately morphed into a ‘merger’ on March 18, 2002.
The historic event took place at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani, and it featured the upcoming KANU youth wing delegates key among them was the then Eldoret North MP William Ruto.
KANU & NDP's uneasy marriage's troubled future was foreshadowed on the very day of the merger, as Raila was barred from making an address to explain the reasoning behind the merger, with President Daniel arap Moi insisting that he was the only one who would address the assembly.
"Moi refused outright. He alone would address the assembly. This already gave me a feeling of unease about our new alliance," Raila narrated in his book, The Flame of Freedom.
His appointment to the post of Secretary-General rubbed off a few stalwarts of the ruling party the wrong way, with the former sec-gen, Joseph Kamotho particularly opposed to the move.
However, the will of the majority prevailed and Kamotho was forced to dance to the tune.
The two-headed to the ruling party's headquarters - then referred to as the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) and agreed to meet at the same venue for a smooth transition.
Uknown to both, Ruto had approached KANU's executive director, Peter Gichumbi and asked for the demolition of two office walls adjacent to his, as a sort of show of power as it would ensure that he had a bigger office than Raila's.
"Eldoret North MP Ruto, one of Moi's favourite acolytes. Determined no doubt to keep me under tight control, had instructed Gichumbi on who would occupy which offices at the headquarters," read an excerpt of the former Prime Ministers book.
The former YK'92 then allegedly made it clear to Gichumbi that regardless of Raila's new lofty post, himself alongside a young Uhuru Kenyatta would be the real masters at the KANU headquarters.
As was expected the unstable political marriage came to a disastrous end, with President Moi's decision to name Uhuru as his successor on July 27, 2002.
