Photo/FILE Former president Daniel Moi during the inauguration of Salva Kiir as South Sudan President at Dr Garang Mausoleum in Juba, South Sudan, May 21, 2010. Kanu has travelled a troubled road since being ousted from power in 2002 and every step it has taken since then seems to take it further into in political oblivion.
By KIPCHUMBA SOME ksome@ke.nationmedia.com OLIVER MATHENGE omathenge@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Saturday, March 31 2012 at 18:57
Posted Saturday, March 31 2012 at 18:57
The increasing number of leadership disputes in Kanu have unnerved many party loyalists including former President Daniel Moi.
Describing himself as a Kanu life member, the retired politician has told the Kanu leadership to get its act together and put its members at ease.
The latest conflict in the party, which is over money, has prevented Kanu from holding its National Delegates Conference. The NDC was postponed for the sixth time on Thursday.
This has resulted in sharp disagreements between the camp allied to party chairman Uhuru Kenyatta and party vice-chairman Gideon Moi over the cost of holding the NDC. (READ: Fallout in Kanu looms as Moi warns leaders)
While the Moi side has made a budget of Sh23 million, the Uhuru camp contends that the NDC conference should not cost more than Sh11 million.
“Sh23 million is simply too much unless people want to benefit personally from it. The funny thing is that they do not want to use a cent from the party coffers,” said Mr Kenyatta’s spokesman Munyori Buku.
However, Kanu secretary-general Nick Salat rubbished the claims as malicious and an excuse.
He added that Mr Kenyatta and his allies did not have the party’s interests at heart and should allow the rest of the party to work.
“The truth is that he has lost interest in the party and is holding it at ransom to do his things. These allegations are simply preposterous.
“If he [Mr Kenyatta] feels that this is not where his heart is, I think it is only good that he lets go and wish us well and we will wish him well,” Mr Salat said.
A war of words has erupted among Kanu officials in the last one week, which has seen former President Moi term the party as one lacking “a clear, sincere and responsible leadership”.
However, party members allied to Gideon Moi are optimistic that the party will soldier on. “This is a party with a rich history and it is fantastic imagination to think that anybody can kill it,” said Mr Salat.
Fiercely opposed
A past attempt to change the party’s name from Kenya African National Union to Kenya Alliance National Union was fiercely opposed by some party members, including the older Mr Moi, indicating the widening ideological gap in the party.
A section of the party’s leadership had suggested that the word “African” was discriminatory and should be substituted with the word “Alliance” as one of the measures suggested to revive its dwindling fortunes.
Kanu was set to meet on Friday for its long overdue National Delegates Conference where, among other issues, it would have ratified its new constitution and elected new party officials.
Mr Kenyatta said that the NDC was cancelled to allow branches to present their members recruitment returns so that it complies with the Political Parties Act, an explanation that did not satisfy Mr Moi’s side.
Invoking Article 13 (2) (e), Mr Salat on Friday convened a National Executive Council meeting that resolved to hold the NDC on April 13 with or without Mr Kenyatta’s blessings.
The Uhuru group has termed the Friday meeting “a gathering of villagers” whose decisions are not binding. The party last held elections in 2005 when Mr Kenyatta beat Mr Nicholas Biwott for the party’s top seat.
The older Mr Moi has warned the party’s leadership against the ongoing wrangles, saying the party was facing the real possibility of deregistration unless its leadership calls an NDC urgently and ensures that Kanu complies with the Political Parties Act.
Feel insulted
“Delegates feel insulted when they travel from such distant places as Mandera, Moyale and Lokitaung at great expense in terms of money and time only to be told the conference has been postponed indefinitely.
“This spectre of a possible deregistration is causing the genuine party members great concern, frustration and anxiety .... I should not be silent on such a crucial matter,” the former president said in a statement.
It was Mr Murathe, an aide to Mr Kenyatta, who categorically told the former President to keep off party affairs or return to active politics.But Mr Kenyatta’s side did not take the statement lying down. Former MP David Murathe and Kanu organising secretary-general Justin Muturi told off Mr Moi with the latter asking him to “relax and enjoy his retirement”.
“If Moi feels there’s no leadership in the party, why can’t he take it up instead of trying to micro-manage party affairs from behind the scenes?
“Is he aware that he is the greatest impediment to the smooth running of the party by refusing to let go and by sponsoring and financing endless squabbles in the party through the court cases of the likes of [Abdulrahaman[ Bafadhil and Salat?” Mr Murathe said.
Mr Kenyatta and his allies maintain it is not possible to hold an NDC as the party was yet to register the required number of members from the 47 counties in line with the Political Parties Act.
The deadline for meeting the requirements of the Political Parties Act is in 30 days.
During a Gema conference two weeks ago, Mr Kenyatta promised the meeting that he would announce in a month’s time the party on which he will vie for president in the next General Election. Those close to him say that party is not Kanu.
“Kanu is a hard sell in Mt Kenya and has lost its national outlook. Even in Rift Valley, URP [William Ruto’s United Republican Party] is making a lot of headway and we even wonder if Kanu is really a viable option,” one of Mr Kenyatta’s aides said.
The source said that Mr Kenyatta was not interested in retaining his position as the chairman since he wanted to comply with the Political Parties Act which bars public officers from holding party positions.
Sources within his camp have indicated that within the coming two weeks, the new party will present its papers to the Registrar of Political Parties.
Kanu has travelled a troubled road since being ousted from power in 2002 and every step it has taken since then seems to take it further into in political oblivion.
The party continues to lose popularity amid internal wrangles that have crippled its operations.
Its loss of popularity in Rift Valley, especially amongst the Kalenjin who were the bedrock of its support under the Moi years, dealt it a severe blow.
It also has the lowest number of MPs — at only 13 — it has ever had in Parliament in its 50-year history.
And if the leadership wrangles persist, then the threat by the Registrar of Political Parties might just be the final nail in its coffin.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment