It has time and again been said that politics is a dirty game where leaders fight in public but pat each other on the back and get cosy in private.
Despite President Uhuru Kenyatta's constant clashes with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leaders, it's rarely mentioned that at one point in his political career, he attempted to join hands with the Orange Party, a move which dealt him a major blow.
In 2006, Kenyatta was caught between a rock and a hard place being ousted as KANU Chairman after supporting an idea to form an alliance with the then ODM-Kenya, a coalition which sought to raise a strong candidate to contest against former President Mwai Kibaki in 2007 polls.
President Kenyatta, who was the official Opposition leader, and a section of his supporters are said to have been ready to have the oldest party in the country join ODM-K which was then associated with Raila Odinga in readiness to topple the government.
However, a rival faction led by former powerful minister Nicholas Biwott opposed the decision expressing discomfort in joining hands with Mr Odinga.
Reports indicated that Biwott's faction was being supported by former Head of State Daniel Moi who disregarded the coalition terming it tribal.
"Having been president of this country and knowing the wellbeing of the citizens, I cannot just join a tribal grouping. I am a nationalist," Moi was quoted.
The feud escalated when Biwott's camp announced it had overthrown Kenyatta as KANU Chairman and his Secretary-General William Ruto, consequently ending his (Kenyatta) tenure as the official Opposition leader.
The Biwott-led group went ahead to get registered by the Registrar of Societies, a decision Kenyatta claimed was a plot by Kibaki's government to kill the shaping up Opposition.
This led to a mega demonstration on December 6, 2006, where Opposition MPs and supporters took to the streets but were repulsed by anti-riot police with Mr Kenyatta getting a dose of the dreaded tear gas.
"What has happened today is a travesty of justice and we shall not relent until we, the bonafide officials of KANU, are recognised," Mr Kenyatta told a press conference after the protest.
However, the incumbent President was saved by a ruling from then National Assembly Speaker Ole Kaparo declaring that Kenyatta would still keep his position of Opposition chief despite being ousted from KANU.
