NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 7 – Danson Mungatana has quit Kenya’s coalition government where he served as an Assistant Minister following the example of his political boss Martha Karua.
Mr Mungatana, the Garsen legislator, told reporters at the Ministry of Medical Services offices that he too was opting to step aside from the divisive and graft embroiled government.
He is the immediate former Medical Services Assistant Minister, a position he secured because of a partnership with the President’s Party of National Unity (PNU) which granted key affiliates spoils in the coalition. He was also the Secretary General of the Coalition Government Party Group (GPG).
“I can no longer serve in government following the resignation of our party leader on Monday. I have therefore written to the President informing him of my immediate resignation as minister,” Mr Mungatana said.
The NARC Kenya Secretary General, was however the only government official from the party who quit on Tuesday in solidarity with Ms Karua, after a meeting failed to convince all NARC Kenya ministers to leave the Kibaki Administration.
Assistant Ministers Asman Kamama (Higher Learning) and Robison Githae (Local Government) had said they would stick in government after the NEC meeting.
Mr Mungatana however said those who opted to remain in government should reconsider their association with the party. He stated that Narc Kenya has decided to purse a reform agenda and those in government could not give their full support.
“Our message is very clear if your not on our side your on the wrong side of history. Kenyans are tired and want change.”
The relationship between NARC Kenya and PNU has been souring after Ms Karua said she was eyeing the 2012 presidency and that the party would from then on go it alone.
The move to sever almost all ties with PNU and focus on the 2012 succession battle will undoubtedly result in scathing attacks of the unity government by Ms Karua and Mr Mungatana.
These were key leaders in that government, people who were insiders, and may now be armed with damning information about it.
A key ally of party leader Ms Karua, Mr Mungatana was elected into Parliament in 2002. He was born in 1970 and would later go on to study a masters degree in International Trade and Investments Law.
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