Mbugua's bid

Thursday, 28 April 2011 00:05 BY STAR REPORTER

PNU candidate Yusuf Hassan presents his nomination paper to Kamukunji returning officer Joseph Musindet at Shauri Moyo yesterday Photo/Chrispinus Wekesa

Uhuru refuses to hand
Mbugua Kanu's ticket

Attempts by former Kamkunji MP Simon Mbugua to defend the seat on Kanu ticket have hit a snag after Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta refused to sanction it.
Mbugua, who was beaten by ODM-Kenya’s Yusuf Hassan in the PNU joint nominations last week at the Bomas of Kenya,  had resorted to Kanu ticket. However, Uhuru, who must sign the nomination certificate, has refused to consent to the move.
Mbugua had allegedly planned to file his nomination papers with the Interim Independent Electoral Commission today in YMCA, Shauri Moyo Hall. Sources said Uhuru, who is the Kanu chairman, supports the joint PNU candidate.
“Uhuru has made it clear to Mbugua that he will support Hassan. In fact he called him personally on Sunday to inform him so,” the source added.
The source added that Uhuru viewed Mbugua’s quest to seek a Kanu ticket as part of a scheme by some individuals within Kanu to scuttle the PNU alliance.
Yesterday two Kanu national officials,Cabinet minister Naomi Shaban and Justin Muturi,  said Uhuru’s signature is mandatory before any candidate is cleared by the IIEC.
The two said Kanu will support the PNU joint candidate since the party took part in the joint nominations last week.
But Kanu secretary general Nick Salat accused Uhuru and his group of trying to run Kanu like a personal property.
“We are trying to run away from the habit of stifling political parties by individuals who thing they own the parties,” he said.
“This is like someone who is denying you oxygen which we are all entitled to it as human beings.”
The Kanu secretary general said it is outrageous for any individual to deny party members an opportunity to run using the party’s ticket.
“Mbugua’s is a kanu member and if Uhuru refuses to sign the nomination certificate, then we will take it to the members and say this is the man who is killing internal party democracy,” he said.
The former Bomet MP said that Mbugua should be allowed by Kanu to make a free choice of whether to participate in the ballot or not.