Kiraitu declares support for Jubilee Alliance

By John Majau

KENYA: Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi has said the Alliance Party of Kenya (APK) will support Jubilee Alliance leader Uhuru Kenyatta in his bid for the presidency.

Kiraitu said the party would ensure that Uhuru gets votes from the populous region.

He said APK would support Uhuru and urged him to be mindful of the welfare of the Meru community if he forms the next government.

He said there is need for Kenyans to take political issues seriously since they directly affect their lives and determines the people’s economical status.

Speaking in Meru on Thursday during a teachers meeting for Meru County, Kiraitu expressed fears that the close contest of 2007 was being witnessed again with presidential hopefuls Uhuru and Raila Odinga in closely contested poll.

Panic

He said opinion poll predictions were causing some presidential candidates to panic and allege that the elections were being rigged.

He cautioned that opinion polls were causing confusion and could lead to mass action.

On calls that Francis Kimemia, the head of the Civil Service and head of the Transitional Authority resigns, Kiraitu wondered whether a competent replacement for Kimemia could be found.

He termed the calls for the Head of Civil Service to resign as uncalled for, saying Kenyans should not reduce their democratic freedom to a situation that may distabilise the nation.

Kiraitu, who is also the Energy Minister, claimed President Kibaki’s aides were being intimidated and singled out Ambassador Muthaura and several others as among those that have been ejected from Government.

At the same time, Kiraitu who is running for the Meru County Senate seat expressed interest in running for the presidency in 2017.

He said he would be running for the presidency on an Alliance Party of Kenya ticket, saying his focus would be poverty eradication and improving the livelihoods of Kenyans.