The 2022 presidential contest is slowly taking shape with new political alignments emerging.
Deputy President William Ruto is at the centre of the ongoing political activities even as he intensifies his bid to raid NASA leader Raila Odinga's traditional Coast region stronghold.
For the former Prime Minister who has left his supporters and opponents guessing on his next political move especially after his famous handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta, he will have to craft a new strategy to ring fence Coast region from Ruto's encroachment which has seen a number of politicians from the region switch allegiance.
How? His options may be many and all of them may prove effective. Retaliating by raiding Ruto's camp to bring on fold his key allies may work.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala is the man who can tilt the political matrix in the region that is proving to be a key ground of a presidential winning machine.
Since his defection from ODM in the run to the 2013 election after a bitter fallout with Raila, the one time Coast political kingpin has seen his political fortunes dwindle. However, he remains a key figure in the region's political jigsaw.
Though he is a key Ruto ally, luring him into the ODM formation with a promise to back him for Monbasa Governor come 2022 may be a smart political move that can water down the DP's growing tidal wave of the region.
With over 20 years in politics, Balala who cut his political teeth during his time as Councilor and later as Mombasa Mayor developed his huge political muscle under Raila.
And having served as Cabinet Secretary for the last 5 years, the former Mvita MP may be keen to go back into politics and may be looking for the safest way to relaunch his political career.
If Raila manages to lure Balala, then the DP's gains in the region will be reversed and may be forced to go back to the political drawing board.