Uhuru PNU wing to register 2012 political alliance

By MOSES NJAGIH
Members of President Kibaki’s side of the Coalition Government have registered a new political party they want to use to reclaim the presidency after he retires.
The PNU Alliance, seen to be an attempt to galvanize Central Kenya and neighbouring regions ahead of the 2012 campaigns, will bring together parties that are already members of the Party of National Unity, the party Kibaki used to run for presidency in 2007.
The main movers in the new outfit are Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Internal Security Minister George Saitoti and Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi.
ODM-K, whose leader, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, was present at the function, where the birth of the new outfit was announced yesterday, will also be part of the alliance.
"PNU Alliance is our party now, and I wish to tell those eyeing the presidency under the PNU coalition that this will be the only vehicle" that this will be the only vehicle" said Kiraitu who first spoke on the registration of the new party.
He said Uhuru, Saitoti, Kalonzo and anyone else interested in the top seat "should know that there is only one party for them".
The Deputy Prime Minister said that the new outfit would bring together more leaders.
"If they panicked when they saw a few of us together and called us ‘KKK’ alliance, I am wondering what they will do when they see us with leaders from every part of the country," said the Finance Minister.
Over the recent past, Uhuru, Kalonzo and Eldoret North MP William Ruto had announced they would work together and their ethnic alliance was dubbed "KKK", which refers to the Kikuyu, Kamba and Kalenjin.
The finance minister also invited Gichugu MP Martha Karua to join the new alliance, saying she should be assured that if she won, she would get backing from the other members.
New fold
"I want to send you to your neighbour who is also eyeing the presidency (Martha Karua) to tell her that she is welcome in the new fold under which we will conduct nominations. If she wins, I will throw all my support behind her."
Uhuru said members of the PNU coalition did not want to commit the same mistake they did in the last General Election, when they faced the polls while they were not well prepared.
"We will conduct free, fair and transparent nominations, and after one of us is picked, all of us will back him. We do not want to face the next elections in the way we did in 2007," said Uhuru.
They spoke when they presented the PNU candidate for the Kirinyaga Central by-election, Joseph Gitari, at the Kirinyaga Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) office.
The leaders owned up to being behind the newly formed PNU Alliance, which they said was the "long awaited bus" to accommodate all the parties that have been working as a coalition.
Kiraitu let the cat out of the bag when he said that all those in the governing PNU coalition wishing to contest the presidency would have to join the newly registered party, declaring it as the big bus.
It appeared the PNU wing abandoned an earlier outfit, People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), launched with much pomp last year by the same leaders. Shortly after it was launched, it appeared that PDM would not take off.
Other MPs present during yesterday’s event were Jeremiah Kioni, Mithika Linturi, Johnstone Muthama, Philip Kaloki, David Njuguna and Peter Mwathi. Saitoti said leaders under the PNU coalition had vowed to ensure the candidate from the alliance wins the presidency when President Kibaki retires next year.
"We want the leadership to remain with one of us in this PNU group when Kibaki retires. Kalonzo, Uhuru and the rest have all been in different parties, but we are now under one roof," said Saitoti.
In what appeared as a move to save face following the party’s dismal performance in past by-elections, where it lost two of its seats, PNU’s leadership assembled its top leadership in preparation for the Kirinyaga Central by-election. Their show at the IIEC offices gave an indication of the zeal they have to win the seat, after their party’s poor performance in Makadara and Juja, where they lost the seats to Narc Kenya and also failed to seize Starehe’s from ODM.
Yesterday, Kiraitu revealed the seriousness with which they are taking the by-election.
"We are not taking this by-election lightly, and that is why we came here to show you the way. We also want to launch our 2012 race here," said Kiraitu.
But even as PNU displayed its might — ferrying its bigwigs to Kirinyaga in two helicopters and eight government vehicles — the party discovered it would still have to battle Narc Kenya, who floored them in the past by-elections.
Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua was in Kerugoya town drumming up support for her party’s candidate, former MP Daniel Karaba.
There was drama at the IIEC’s office after Narc Kenya leaders ejected the PNU group while they were presenting their papers.
Trouble began when Karaba arrived at the scene with his supporters at midday, and declared that he was the one slated to present his papers at the time.
Karaba said the PNU candidate had delayed to face the electoral officials, and should thus not inconvenience others who had kept time as indicated in the schedule.
The PNU leaders had to walk out to pave the way for the Narc Kenya group.
Other than Karaba and Gitari, others who presented their papers yesterday were DP’s Henry Mwaniki and Dr Sammy Kagoyo, (Ford People).
Three other aspirants, Murimi Ngari (SDP) Hersia Ireri (ODM) and Wambura Ngunyi (KNC) are expected to face the electoral team tomorrow (Saturday).