Parties sign pact to support Uhuru bid

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From left: APK secretary general Kiraitu Murungi , Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Finance minister Njeru Githae and Gema's Stephen Karau in a show of solidarity after a meeting at the Norfolk Hotel, Nairobi. Four parties pledged to support Mr Kenyatta's presidential bid August 8, 2012. JENNIFER MUIRURI  

By OLIVER MATHENGE omathenge@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Wednesday, August 8  2012 at  18:05

Four parties have signed an agreement pledging support for Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta's presidential bid.

On Wednesday, Mr Kenyatta led his The National Alliance, the Party of National Unity, Grand National Union and Alliance Party of Kenya in signing the agreement during a lunch time meeting at the Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi.

According to the agreement, the parties will support Mr Kenyatta’s candidature for the presidency in next year’s General Election. They will also form a majority party through joint nominations and support of candidates nominated by the coalition.

PNU was represented by Transport minister Amos Kimunya, APK was led by Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi and GNU was represented by Assistant minister Mwangi Kiunjuri.

Others at the meeting were Finance minister Njeru Githae, APK chairman Titus Imbui and Dr Stephen Karau of Gema.

The agreement also mandated Mr Kenyatta to start holding talks with other like minded alliances and parties with the aim of forming a grand coalition for the purposes of elections and the post-poll period.

“We hereby resolve and agree to support the presidential candidature of Uhuru Kenyatta. We also mandate and empower Uhuru Kenyatta to enter into negotiations with like-minded parties to ensure that the coalition wins the forth-coming general elections,” the leaders said in the agreement read by Mr Githae.

Mr Kenyatta said that he had accepted the role adding that he will lead the four parties in joint political campaign rallies as he seeks discussions with other leaders. Though he did not specify whom he would be speaking to, Mr Kenyatta said that he will continue to pursue his relationship with other leaders in the G7 Alliance.

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The DPM has been holding talks with Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa on the possibility of them seeking the presidency on a joint ticket.

Mr Kenyatta is also part of the G7 Alliance which brings together other leaders including Eldoret North MP William Ruto of URP, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka of Wiper Democratic Movement and Trade minister Chirau Mwakwere also of URP.

Mr Kiraitu’s APK, popularly known as Bus, was formed as a coalition that would see Mr Kenyatta, Mr Musyoka and the late Internal Security minister Prof George Saitoti contest in joint nominations.

However, Mr Kenyatta went on to form TNA as Mr Musyoka and the late Saitoti strengthened their Wiper and PNU parties respectively.

Mr Murungi has been insisting that time is running out for parties allied to Mr Kenyatta to come together with continued fragmentation of the Mt Kenya vote ahead of the elections.

On Wednesday, the Energy minister said that he was delighted and urged supporters of the four parties to work together.

“We are asking all our supporters to support this initiative and ensure that we help the coalition to achieve the agreement that we have signed today. We are also open to dialogue with all other like-minded political parties,” Mr Murungi said.

The agreement also asks the four parties to establish coalition structures from the ward level that will as “combine and pool their resources and have joint structures, common policy agenda and run joint campaigns.”

“We have agreed to support and commit to one common manifesto, policy agenda and program of action to be implemented by the next government,” Mr Githae said.

The agreement also emphasises on issues relating to women, the youth and marginalised groups as the key priorities for the coalition. It also prioritises cohesion and national unity.