PNU yesterday said it will negotiate fielding a candidate for the Kamukunji by-election with ODM-K. The party’s deputy secretary general Jeremiah Kioni said PNU’s level of compromise can only come down to a joint party nominations as a way of sorting out the looming nomination row between the two parties. “We may have a strong candidate. So if ODM-K also has a candidate they feel is strong, then we can subject them to a joint nomination exercise and then we both support the most popular of the two candidates,” Kioni said.
He expressed hope that the two friendly parties will agree on the matter as they have always done. The seat fell vacant after the high court nullified the election of Simon Mbugua as the MP for Kamukunji. Mbugua’s election had been successfully challenged by ODM’s Ibrahim Ahmed alias Jonnie.
Yesterday, the party vice chairman George Nyamweya said the two parties will sort out the matter when the elections are called. Mbugua, a Kanu member contested the seat on a PNU ticket and is already mobilising supporters in anticipation for the by-elections. “I expect direct nominations given the fact that I'm defending this seat for PNU. My party has previously done well because they have given out direct nominations in situations similar to mine,”Mbugua said.
But the former Kamukunji legislator said he is ready for any battle but warned outsiders to keep off Kamukunji politics. Nominated MP Mohamed Affey yesterday defended ODM-K’s position saying its candidate should be supported to run for the seat by the PNU. “We have a feeling that we have a strong candidate. We want PNU to compromise and support our candidate just like we have done for them in the past. I know we will agree on this,”Affey said.
ODM-K National Executive Commitee has already approved the party’s resolve to run against PNU in the by-elections with sources indicating that it is already sourcing for its 2007 candidate, Yusuf Hassan.
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