PNU seeks to drop tag to avoid confusion

Written By:Diana Okemwa/KNA,    Posted: Mon, Feb 20, 2012

Kiraitu said his party can no longer afford to go any further with this kind of confusion The frequent change of names by political parties in the country is a sign of struggle for identity. Political analyst James Simekha says it is regrettable that parties put more emphasis on euphoric effect of names rather than one based on ideologies. Speaking during an interview with KBC, Simekha said such profiles are temporary in nature that will only make a party popular for a specific period. He said there is need for parties to concentrate on lasting policies that will form their image. However, the analyst said the requirements in the new constitution will bar proliferation of parties that do not meet the political parties act. Party of National Unity Alliance is the latest victim to have written to the registrar of political parties seeking to drop the tag to differentiate with George Saitoti's Party of National Unity. Barely one year old in since its birth PNU alliance co-founder Kiraitu Murungi says his supporters were a confused lot as they could not tell the difference between the George Saitoti led PNU and  his PNU Alliance Party. He said his party can no longer afford to go any further with this kind of confusion and soon will be granted the request for the change of the name. Kiraitu was speaking to aspirants for various elective positions during the forthcoming general elections at Thiiri Center in Imenti North Constituency, in Meru County. The Energy minister told the gathering the country required to speak with one voice to move on especially this time round when "we are entering an electioneering period'. He told those not in the Alliance Party to forget being in politics for the next ten years. "Unless you are in the right party this time round you may as well forget being in active politics for the next ten years," he told the aspirants. He further challenged anyone wishing to oppose him for the Meru County Senator's slot to meet him at the Alliance nomination day. Kiraitu said the Meru vote should go to a presidential contender who will be another Kibaki to us. "Positions to be offered by the next government should be those that are beneficial to the Meru community hence my quest for the Senator's seat which will determine where the 85 per cent national resources will be channeled to," he said. He boasted of having mastery in political game and reminded the new   entrants that in this game one should neither get angry, mad at each other or even revenge. The Imenti South legislator also told the gathering the political contest has just begun now that the recruitment process had kicked off. He further denied  he had any favorite candidate for any of the County seats as alleged by his detractors, maintaining each of the aspirants was on his or her own for the moment. Other parties that have changed names are ODM-Kenya to Wiper Democratic Movement while KANU is seeking to change to Kenya Alliance National Party.