Wednesday, January 4, 2012

KANU’S PLAN TO SCUTTLE PNU



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UNCOMFORTABLE: George Saitoti. Photo/James Wainaina
UNCOMFORTABLE: George Saitoti. Photo/James Wainaina

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta's strategy for the presidency is expected to take a decisive shape tomorrow when 24 minor political parties announce their intention to shift from PNU Alliance and form an alliance with Kanu. Kanu last month announced its intention to change its name from Kenya African National Union to Kenya Alliance of National Unity. The decision is waiting for ratification during the party's national delegates conference scheduled for late February.
Among the small parties allied to the PNU are the Peoples Democratic Party, the Farmers Party, the Mazingira Party associated with the late Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai, the Democratic Party formerly chaired by President Kibaki and Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang'ula's Ford-Kenya.
Others are New Ford Kenya chaired by Housing minister Soita Shitanda on whose party ticket Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa hopes to run for the presidency; Ford Asili formerly chaired by Kenneth Matiba; Ford People associated with former Cabinet secretary and minister Simeon Nyachae.
Also included are Sisi Kwa Sisi whose sole MP is David Ngugi of Kinangop which represents the small parties in the PNU Alliance; the National Alliance Party and Transport minister Chirau Mwakwere's Shirikisho Party. The decision by the parties to allign themselves with Kanu may be the death knell of the PNU Alliance, the much hyped group which brings together Uhuru, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Internal Security minister Prof George Saitoti.
Kanu executive director Joseph Mathai confirmed the meeting but declined to give more details about the parties involved due to what he described as "technicalities." “We will inform you once an agreement is arrived at,” Mathai said. The development comes even as the PNU Alliance leaders are reportedly planning to launch a membership recruitment drive.
Kalonzo, Uhuru and Saitoti are on January 10 expected to launch the countrywide recruitment drive at Uhuru Park. In readiness for the alliance, Kalonzo has renamed his party ODM-Kenya as the Wiper Democratic Movement while Uhuru has started to revive Kanu which has been moribund for nearly five years.
Yesterday a close ally of Uhuru said Uhuru's presence at the launch of the PNU membership recruitment drive will just be for show as "heart and effort are in the revival of Kanu." “Whether its PNU or PNU alliance, I can assure you that Uhuru is only interested in rebuilding Kanu. He is even more keen on having alliances with Kanu than committing himself to the PNU,” the ally added.
Sources in the PNU alliance said the developments are likely to cause friction among the leaders with the bone of contention being the best method the PNU alliance should use to decide on the party's presidential candidate. Kalonzo's allies are reportedly pushing for the decision to be made on concensus while Uhuru's people want members to decide this on secret ballot. Saitoti is said to be non committal.
Late last year, the three contenders failed to agree on the nomination procedures and set up a technical team to review the nomination rules. Yesterday, PNU Alliance organising secretary Peter ole Sapalan said the technical team had already agreed on the nomination rules and procedures. “We have already sent them to the three — Uhuru, Kalonzo and Saitoti — to approve them,” Sapalan, an ally of Saitoti, said.
Highly placed sources within the alliance however said Kanu was not comfortable with the rules and that is why Uhuru had opted to revitalise Kanu. Sapalan dismissed any suggestions that the decision by Uhuru would in any way scuttle any plans by the PNU alliance to recruit members afresh.
He said the plan by the smaller parties within the PNU alliance to allign themselves with Kanu would not have any impact. “It is in accordance to the resolutions which we arrived at in the meeting that sanctioned the strengthening of all the alliance parties,” he said in reference to Kanu's plans to revive, rename and seek out other parties into an alliance with it.
Other multiple sources indicated that Saitoti was not comfortable with the PNU alliance and had busied himself with strengthening the PNU party. Saitoti was conspicuously absent from a meeting held on December 22 at the PNU offices at Lavington and attended by Uhuru and Kalonzo to discuss PNU Alliance issues. Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi who was present explained Saitoti's absence saying he had national security commitments that had kept him away.
Saitoti was at that time in Kajiado where he was addressing rallies to sell his credential as a presidential aspirant. His allies say this is a clear indication that Saitoti is not committed to the PNU Alliance.
On the same day that the PNU Alliance membership recruitment drive is to be launched, Saitoti is scheduled to be in Mombasa where he will be launching a PNU membership recruitment drive. “The PNU alliance will be in Uhuru Park to start the recruitment but we will be in Mombasa on the same day,” said PNU executive director Jasper Nyaboga.

2 comments:

  1. 24th February 2012
    Clarrification: Sisi Kwa Sisi Party of Kenya has an additional MP in the current 10th Parliament. Hon Barnabas Muturi Mwangi, representing Kiharu Constituency

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