PNU top brass must quit, says Munya

MERU, Kenya, Sep 23 - Pressure continues to mount for the Party of National Unity (PNU) top brass to resign and pave way for fresh leadership.

This follows the party's poor performance in Monday's by-elections in which PNU lost the Juja and Makadara parliamentary seats to Narc-Kenya.

The party also failed to clinch control of the Starehe parliamentary set after Maina Kamanda lost to ODM's Bishop Margaret Wanjiru.

East African Cooperation Assistant Minister Peter Munya joined the ranks of those demanding the immediate reorganisation of the PNU leadership to stem a crisis of confidence in the party among members.

Mr Munya said on Thursday that it was the practice worldwide especially in western democracies for leaders of governing parties that lose in elections to step down.

He said this would allow the party to restructure in readiness for recapturing power and cited the recent experiences of the Labour and Conservative parties in Britain.

"In Britain, (Gordon) Brown quit after Labour lost the elections and the party is now re-organising. Similarly the Tories took over leadership of the country after renewing their leadership after they were locked out of power for three consecutive terms by the Labour Party."

He said the same should apply locally stressing that leaders should take responsibility of their failures and resign honorably.

These calls have put the PNU leadership of Cabinet ministers, Prof George Saitoti (Chairman) and Kiraitu Murungi (Secretary General) in the spot light.

Mr Munya who is the Tigania East MP said he fully backs calls by those who want to revamp the PNU leadership to reverse its waning political fortunes.

Other party bigwigs who have called for a reshuffle in PNU include Forestry and Wildlife minister Noah Wekesa, nominated MP George Nyamweya and party spokesman Moses Kuria.

Mr Munya warned that the country would not achieve the desired progress in governance that Kenyans have been yearning for despite enacting a new Constitution, unless they are ready to critically appraise the quality of leadership of major institutions.

"Moral leadership should be about people who earnestly care for the future wellbeing of the country," said Mr Munya who announced that he would contest for Governor in the 2012 general elections.

He spoke at Muthara Sub-District Hospital in Tigania East where he hosted assistant Medical Services minister Kazungu Kambi during the opening of a new Sh2.8 million CDF sponsored 20-bed ward.