Saturday, September 17, 2011

Big Three pact to take on Raila



By Athman Amran and Gakuu Mathenge
Political activity ahead of 2012 is going a notch higher, with political partiesretreating to strategy rooms with potential mates to forge winning alliances.
Friday, it was the turn of President Kibaki’s PNU to solidify its position and put the party in good stead to battle it out with its uneasy grand coalition partner ODM, led by Prime Minister Raila Odinga, come next year.
The parties making up the Party of National Unity took the tentative steps towards forging a united front when they adopted a 10-point common electoral protocol.
From right: Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, and Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi strategise at the KCB Leadership Centre in Karen. [PHOTO: BONIFACE OEKNDO/STANDARD]
They also adopted a new alliance symbol of a big bus emblazoned in black, gold and green colours.
The protocol includes joint party structures and nomination rules for candidates from the lowest level - County Assemblies - to the highest -Presidential candidates.
Three PNU leaders signed the protocol, agreeing to nominate a single presidential candidate for the 2012 presidential election. The winner in the nominations would then face-off with Prime Minister Raila Odinga, of ODM, who has been rated in opinion polls as the man to beat, and other candidates.
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Internal Security minister Prof George Saitoti said they were committed to support whoever wins in the PNU-Alliance presidential nominations. The signing of the protocol marks a turning point for the outfit, and assuages fears — for now — of an imminent implosion under internal competition.
The top three leading lights expressed firm commitment to the protocol when they spoke in Nairobi yesterday where all the PNU-Alliance parties met to debate and sign the "protocol".
Friday’s meeting, which was attended by National Executive Committee members of all PNU-Alliance parties, was also to agree on rules to nominate single candidates for the seats of senator, governor, MP and county representatives.
The meeting was also to agree on individual party membership and recruit members for the PNU-Alliance Parliamentary Group who will pay Sh10,000 as subscription fees.
Open process
They were also to agree on what to do with those who fail the joint nomination process, with speakers floating the idea of supporting them for other positions such as Speakers of the National Assembly and the Senate, Cabinet Secretaries or other available positions.
"Kalonzo, Saitoti and I are candidates. The issue is to identify a candidate in an open process," Uhuru said, adding that what mattered was a free and fair process. He vowed to support the candidate who emerged victorious.
"I will respect the process. Those seeking the posts of governor, senator, MP and county representatives should also go through the same process," Uhuru, who is the Kanu chairman, said.
He said the alliance has to work hard for an agreeable process, adding that this way they would be victorious come next year.
"I am here to give my own commitment to this journey," said Uhuru, who has in recent opinion polls been rated second to Raila as the preferred successor to President Kibaki.
Mr Kalonzo said that the unity of the three presidential aspirants stands firm. "You have my personal commitment," said Kalonzo.
He added: "If we stand together, we will win. We should remove suspicions of any description to win".
Prof Saitoti said that it was only in unity that they would come up with a leader in 2012. Saitoti, who is the PNU chairman, said he was committed to participate in the presidential nominations and would support the victor.
Joint nominations involving different parties would usually be riddled with suspicion and this will be a big test for the alliance.
Matters will not be made any easier by the entry of Eldoret North MP William Ruto’s UDM party, which has of late been gravitating towards the PNU alliance under the amorphous so-called G7 outfit.
Implement protocol
"We are here to implement the protocol and accept the party symbol," PNU secretary-general Kiraitu Murungi said. However, it was instructive that Uhuru, Kalonzo and Saitoti never mentioned the G-7 alliance. They only pointed out that the PNU-Alliance door was open and welcomed all those willing to join them.
"We keep the door wide open and welcome all those willing to share a common vision," said Uhuru.
The leaders at the same time expressed suspicion on the short-listing of the 44 candidates for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Kalonzo said he suspected there were schemes to rig the electoral process for the 2012 General Election.
Both Kalonzo and Uhuru said they want those serving in the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) to be interviewed for the IEBC positions.
"Kenyans were satisfied with the work of the IIEC," said Uhuru.
"We want the process to be fair and truthful. We do not want people to be selected through a very unfair process," Kalonzo said.
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