Uhuru 2013 coalition faces disintegration

MONDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2012 00:08 BY WALTER MENYA

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta.

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta could be facing a revolt from President Kibaki's PNU and the Alliance Party of Kenya in his attempt to forge a pre-election pact with a number of parties. A section of leaders of the two parties have been scouting for new partners as it appears that the Norfolk meeting last month where they agreed to work with The National Alliance had not reached concrete coalition agreement.

This became clearer on Tuesday when PNU acting chairman Gideon Konchellah and organising secretary Maina Kamanda trooped to Jogoo House office to craft a new deal with vice president Kalonzo musyoka. The meeting was also attended by Defence assistant minister David Musila and Kangundo MP Johnstone Muthama.

Sources within both PNU and APK whose leader is Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi told The Star that they are convinced that Uhuru, who faces crimes against humanity charges at the ICC, will not run after all. Besides, some Central Kenya parties claim that they were being bulldozed to support Uhuru, a bargain they view as a sinking ship.

But the Uhuru team has said the parties seeking to create parallel alliances were driven by individual desires rather than party and country interests. Two sources within the Uhuru Team, his spokesman Munyori Buku and the Uhuru 2013 campaign head of media relations Moses Kuria told The Star that the DPM wanted that political parties working with TNA must obtain their members' consent, a requirement that has thrown a spanner in the works for a majority of the parties whose leaders have been trying to reach Uhuru to hammer a deal to no avail.

The Star understands that a group of some central Kenya politicians consisting of a Mr Karau who is the executive director of Mt Kenya Foundation, Lenny Kivuti, Njeru Githae, Amos Kimunya and APK chairman a Mr Ibui held a secret meeting where they invited Uhuru to attend but the DPM refused.

The group later held another meeting the following day at a Nairobi hotel where again, Uhuru did not attend. The second meeting brought on board a city lawyer Steve Njiru. Uhuru's handlers insist that they want structured talks, that means an agreement by all concerned party leaders and members to conduct joint nominations with TNA.

So far, Kuria said, only the Democratic Party and TNA have arrived at a formal coalition agreement. According to Kuria, some people wanted an agreement among individuals rather than structured party coalitions that Uhuru prefers. Another Uhuru campaign team source said the likes of Kiraitu Murungi and Maina Kamanda have no control of their parties thus would prefer a collection of individuals who have no grassroots support.

“Our campaign is crystallising. Unfortunately, we will not take these discussions to hotels but we want to the grassroots. We want to refocus this narrative,” said Kuria. "Whoever thinks that we are not vying are mistaken. Uhuru Kenyatta will be on the ballot,” Kuria emphatically stated. “The only thing that can stop him from being on the ballot is if he loses in a free and fair nomination process within TNA or any successor alliance.”

Similar sentiments were expressed by Buku, Uhuru's spokesman. “Mr Kenyatta has said times without number that he will work with like-minded parties which have well-defined structures. The talks must be for the benefit of Kenyans,” Buku said.Kamanda who spoke to The Star a day after their meeting with Kalonzo said that the plan was to create a forum where like minded political parties can jointly prepare for the next elections. He said the aim was not to declare anyone as a presidential candidate, like what happened at the Norfolk last month.