By Vitalis Kimutai
The newly registered United Republican Party was officially launched on Sunday with Trade Minister Chirau Mwakwere, Eldoret North MP William Ruto and Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo declaring they will contest nomination as the party’s presidential flag bearer.
Twenty-seven MPs, including five Cabinet ministers and several former MPs, civic leaders, young professionals and women leaders from the 47 counties attended the event at Bomas, where former Speaker Francis ole Kaparo was picked as interim chairman.
Other interim officials were not named during the meeting even though a list earlier seen by The Standard had Ruto as the party leader, Mwakwere and Jirongo as vice-chairmen, Wajir South MP Aden Duale (secretary general), Assistant minister Kazungu Kambi (treasurer) and former MP Omingo Magara (organising secretary).
Grassroots elections
Kaparo announced that two million membership cards would immediately be dispatched to all constituencies to register members in compliance with the Political Parties Act.
"The grassroots election will be held in four days between March 28 and 31 this year while the national poll is set for April 30," Kaparo stated during the launch attended by thousands of supporters.
He said the election would be free and fair.
Ruto said the next General Election would be based on issues and programmes the candidates were seeking to roll out and that voters should interrogate leaders on their performance.
"Our issues as a party are very clear and we want to draw a line between us and others. We do not have time to talk about people or events, but we are ready for the contest and debate on tackling issues affecting the society," said Ruto.
Ruto said youths would play a major role in the elections as they seek to install leaders who would tackle issues of unemployment affecting them.
He said the economy had the potential to grow by double digit yearly like that of Ethiopia and Ghana and that could only be done if insecurity is contained to attract investors.
Ruto said it was sad that five million people suffered the indignity of hunger for failure by the Government to adopt modern technology, embrace irrigation and provide subsidised farm inputs.
"If URP forms the next government, we shall roll out a National Insurance Health Fund that would ensure every Kenyan is covered irrespective of their financial status to avoid the current situation where people are dying from preventable and curable diseases," Ruto stated.
Formidable team
He said a modern rail transport would be constructed in the first two years to replace the current one built in the last century to enable business people to exploit it in transporting goods to markets.
Ruto invited other leaders across the country to join URP and form a formidable team.
Jirongo said the Northern corridor needs to be opened to enable the economy thrive, adding that empty political rhetoric had retarded economic growth for over 30 years.
Mwakwere said the issues of squatters needed immediate attention, saying it was a shame that there were landless people 50 years after Independence.
Wajir South MP Muhamud Sirat said the country required new focused leaders to tackle the socio-economic problems bedeviling the society.
Turkana Central MP Ekwe Ethuro said URP would ensure that the rights of the minority groups and marginalised communities were taken care of.
"Issues affecting youths and the elderly will be tackled by the party leadership as we seek to end the cycle of poverty, unemployment and hunger," said Ethuro.
Duijis MP Aden Duale said the party would instill strong family values and seek to stamp out tribalism in the society.
Duale said issues affecting pastoralists and Northern Kenya in general would also be addressed by the party leadership if they form the next government.
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