The Party of National Unity (PNU) on Saturday agreed to form an umbrella movement christened Progressive Democratic Movement (PDM) with the slogan ‘Tai’.
PNU Executive Director Jasper Nyamboga said that the 108 MPs attending a party retreat in Naivasha also resolved that all PNU affiliate parties will join the movement and have a common interest in all issues.
“We have agreed to work together and signed a charter to belong together inside and outside Parliament under the umbrella movement of PDM,” he said.
He further said PDM will also support one candidate in the expected by-elections in Matuga and South Mugirango constituencies.
“We agreed that any party is allowed to put their candidate in the nomination process. The one who will be the winner will be supported by all the affiliate parties in the movement,” he said.
He said PDU was open to other individual MPs who wished to join the movement and were not affiliate members of PNU explaining that membership will be on individual and corporate basis.
This could be an indicator that disgruntled Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) MPs can join the movement without ditching their mother parties.
However, if one to joins a separate party, they must seek re-election.
But he stressed that PDM was not a political party but a union to enable the parties work together.
Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando in a statement said: “Kenyans should from today expect a different kind of movement, a movement energised by the people for the people.”
He said PDM will focus on constitutional reform, place diversity reaching out to grass roots spreading realms of change, ensure fast reforms and anchor reconciliation.
“PDM will give a new volume to the political songs for katiba it’s a coalition of issues hitting the road to get the elusive goals basic campaign anti corruption crusade and new leadership,” he said.
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The Party of National Unity (PNU) and its affiliate parties Saturday formed a movement dubbed the ‘Progressive Democratic Movement' (PDM).
ReplyDeleteThe over 108 MPs attending a party retreat in Naivasha said the PNU coalition was now a political movement to strengthen existing structures in preparation for the forthcoming Referendum and the 2012 elections, where they will jointly field candidates.
In a press statement read by Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi, the party members said they had agreed to work together.
The movement will also include corporate and individual members, a Supreme Council, Central Management Committee and operational sub-committees on the grassroots.
It will also have a Secretariat and a Resource Centre which will be utilized by its think tanks, as well as youth and women's leagues in its governing structure.
The members also resolved to effectively fight graft and also support the constitution making process to ensure that the country gets a new constitution.
"The movement commits itself to fight the war on corruption at all levels and endear ourselves to work for the new constitution," said Murungi.
The PNU affiliate parties called on the Parliament and the Committee of Experts to retain the changes made by the Parliament Select Committee on the Constitution.
They urged the Committee of Experts (CoE) to comply with Section 33 of the Constitutional Review Act and take into account the political consensus achieved on the Draft Constitution by PSC which met in Naivasha for two weeks.
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka also attended the meeting.