Kenya’s opposition launched a coalition that will name a presidential candidate to run against the incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta of the ruling Jubilee coalition.

In what has come to be known as National Super Alliance (Nasa), which brings together the main opposition umbrella Coalition for Reform and Democracy (Cord) under former prime minister Raila Odinga and the Amani National Alliance (ANC) led by former deputy prime minister Musalia Mudavadi, the Kenyan opposition is hoping to achieve what a united opposition in Tanzania failed to deliver in the October 2015 election.

Nasa key players Mr Odinga, former vice-president Kalonzo Musyoka, Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula and Mr Mudavadi signed a document at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi last Wednesday, committing themselves to a united opposition.

The opposition failed to name their flagbearer at the Bomas event due to “consultations on the line-up” as well as efforts to reach out to more like-minded parties.

READ: Kenya's opposition shelves protests, sign unity deal

But Mr Wetang’ula insists that the opposition is moving at its own pace and is not under pressure to follow a timetable set by their opponents, who are hoping that the candidate will be named early to enable them “throw mud” at the party.

The ruling party is watching these developments keenly. Since collapsing 13 parties together to form the Jubilee Party last September, the functionaries, especially Deputy President William Ruto, have been chiding the opposition, calling them a confused lot incapable of uniting under a single candidate.

“While they gave Kenyans a lot of hype before Bomas, their failure to name a single candidate is an indication that that they are incapable of agreeing among themselves,” said Kipchumba Murkomen, Senator of Elgeyo-Marakwet County.

Kanu

Curiously, former ruling party Kanu secretary-general Nick Salat appended his signature to the opposition unity document at Bomas, but was immediately chastised and disowned by his party, and called “a lone ranger.”

Kanu chairman Gideon Moi and Bomet Governor and leader of Chama cha Mashinani Isaac Ruto, were also missing from Bomas despite having been touted as supporting opposition unity.

Also yet to join the opposition is former lands minister Charity Ngilu of Narc, who was sacked by President Kenyatta over allegations of corruption.

Analysts say that the opposition must overcome the curse that befell their counterparts in Uganda, where the opposition Democratic Alliance failed to present a single candidate in the February 2016 elections due to personal ambition, mistrust and pressure from supporters.

Mr Mudavadi’s spokesperson, Kibisu Kabatesi, said that Nasa’s unity will hold because unlike the traditional coalition of political parties that have been formed before, it is a vehicle to unite political parties, trade unions, the business community and civil society to reclaim the country from Jubilee misrule and abdication of responsibility and collusion in runaway corruption.

“The difference is Nasa harnesses the discontent of Kenyans against Jubilee’s exclusionist ethnic duopoly, corruption, arrogance and the high cost of living that feeds the insatiable need to tax Kenyans more and more for less value,” said Mr Kabetesi.