Monday, January 2, 2012

Uhuru, Kalonzo, Saitoti asked to join PNU or lose 1.5m voters bloc


By Munene Kamau

Three presidential aspirants have been put on notice to either join the PNU Alliance or risk losing crucial support.
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Internal Security Minister George Saitoti were urged to unite if they have to win the backing of 1.5 million-vote Mt Kenya East bloc.
At a political forum at Chuka University College, Tharaka-Nithi County, on Saturday, Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi said the region should no longer be used as a climbing ladder to power.
Said Kiraitu: "If Uhuru wants to be President then let him be told loud and clear that he should abandon the cockerel party and join the winning team."
PNU Chief Whip Johnston Muthama, a close ally of Kalonzo, also told the Wiper Democratic Movement leader to dump the party.
It was also at the function dubbed the Mt Kenya East Political Caucus and attended by representatives from Embu, Tharaka-Nithi and Meru counties that it was hinted Kiraitu could be a replacement for the three.
Muthama told the three contenders not to assume they were the only presidential flag bearers.
"Uhuru, Saitoti na Kalonzo wasifikiri ni wao tu, si hata Kiraitu Murungi yuko hapa? Si yeye ndiye alipatanisha sisi mwaka wa 2007 na tukashinda huo uchaguzi?" (Uhuru, Saitoti and Kalonzo should not assume that they are the only shells in the sea. They should realise that Kiraitu is also here. Isn’t he the one who united us and we won the 2007 General Election?)," he said.
Kiraitu said the aspirant who will get the nod to carry the PNU Alliance Party flag this year will have to put his offer for the region on the table before the General Election.
"Whoever will emerge the PNU Alliance presidential candidate must first put his offer on the table for the Mt Kenya East community before the elections and such a memorandum of understanding so agreed upon must remain binding," Kiraitu said amid cheers.
Cattle dip poll
He expressed concern that presidential hopefuls were frequenting the region to woo voters through false promises.
"I am surprised that even those aspirants who can not even win a village cattle dip position are rushing here to confuse our people by buying them bread and soda and providing transport," he said.
On the Uhuru, Saitoti, Kalonzo issue, Kiraitu said he personally told them to forget the presidency unless they shed off their Kanu, PNU and WDM tags.

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