Kiraitu ditches Uhuru party over ‘betrayal’
APK party leader Kiraitu Murungi (left) with Party member MP Peter Munya at a press conference at the party's head office in Nairobi. He said the party has stopped negotiations with TNA. November 16 2012. Photo/ANTHONY OMUYA NATION MEDIA GROUP
By ISAAC ONGIRI iongiri@ke.nationmedia.com AND CAROLINE WAFULA cwafula@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Saturday, November 17 2012 at 00:30
Posted Saturday, November 17 2012 at 00:30
IN SUMMARY
- Minister says his party has stopped negotiations with TNA because it was not acting in good faith
- Energy minister leads his party out of alliance with Kenyatta amid claims of betrayal and humiliation
- Karua, Kenneth say they will not give in to regional dictatorship
Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi has severed links with The National Alliance, signalling a revolt against Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta by some Mt Kenya leaders.
Mr Murungi of the Alliance Party of Kenya cited betrayal, humiliation and back stabbing in his dealings with the TNA leadership for his decision.
The minister’s move came as presidential aspirants Martha Karua and Peter Kenneth vowed not to succumb to “regional dictatorship”.
However, Mr Kenyatta’s allies quickly moved to clarify the position of their party on alliances, saying they were not pushing small parties in Mt Kenya to disband.
On Friday, Mr Murungi led the top leadership of APK — commonly referred to us Mbus — in a dramatic walk out on Mr Kenyatta’s party saying they had had enough.
Flanked by assistant minister Peter Munya and Siakago MP Lenny Kivuti, Mr Murungi accused Mr Kenyatta of attempting to re-introduce dictatorial ways of the Kanu era.
“We have been betrayed, humiliated and stabbed in the back…not once or twice but many times by TNA and its leadership. Enough is enough,” the Energy minister said at the APK offices in Nairobi.
He said TNA’s negotiations with his party were in bad faith and that it was leading APK on an endless chase.
“These negotiations have turned out to be a wild goose chase of endless and interminable talks, discussions and negotiations in quotes. It has now become obvious that TNA has not been negotiating in good faith,” he said.
He then vowed: “APK will no longer be part of this Trojan Horse.”
Mr Murungi’s party has been in talks with TNA to form a coalition and the negotiations had reached a level where APK was ready to hold joint nominations with Mr Kenyatta’s outfit. (READ: Kiraitu abandons talks with TNA)
“I can’t join a party that is a reincarnation of Kanu whose agenda is to take us back to where we were when freedom of expression was curtailed,” Mr Munya said.
Mr Kenyatta last weekend asked all his supporters in Mt Kenya region to join TNA to avoid fragmenting their strength in Parliament and the Senate.
He called on Ms Karua of Narc Kenya, Mr Kenneth (Kenya National Congress), assistant ministers Mwangi Kiunjuri (Grand National Union), Ndiritu Mureithi (United Democratic Forum) and Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni (United Democratic Forum) to join his party.
“They are either in TNA or nowhere and must be given total blackout by voters. We are busy seeking ways of uniting Kenyans and it has to start here at home,” he said in Laikipia West last weekend.
The call triggered angry reactions on Friday with Ms Karua saying those urging her to join her Central colleagues in one political vehicle were not championing for a united Kenya.
“I want to tell leaders from Central Province that Kenya became a multiparty nation long time ago, and that single party state ended with the era of former President Moi,” she said during a rally at Daraja Mbili market in Kisii Town.
Mr Kenneth said Kenyans were looking for a leader who would unite the whole country and not one relying on regional support. “Kenyans must be allowed to have the widest choice to elect from.
Chest thumping will not do. Kenyans are now more exposed than ever before and their will is what will count,” he said.
Mr Murithi asked TNA to stop engaging in unnecessary threats and intimidations in regional politics.
Additional reports by Jackline Moraa
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