NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 5 – KANU has said it will not attend the launch of the Party of National Unity Alliance, saying it has not agreed to enter into alliances with other political parties.
The party further said that it had organised its own National Delegates Conference, scheduled for January 30, to determine which minor political parties it would liaise with for the forthcoming elections.
Speaking after the party’s National Executive Council meeting, nominated MP Amina Abdallah said KANU would be in a better position to announce which parties it would work with after the upcoming meeting.
She added that the party was also expected to ratify the amended version of its Constitution, during the delegates’ meeting, in order to ensure that it complied with the principles of the new election laws.
“We intend to be a party on our own for now until we get into a formal arrangement. Once we have approved the Constitution we will be able to deal with matters of mergers,” she said.
She further explained that the party’s constitution had to be aligned with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act as well as the Political Parties Act and the Elections Act adding that it intended to revamp itself and correct any misconceptions surrounding it.
Among those in attendance was the party’s Secretary General Nick Salat, Vice Chairman Gideon Moi, Cabinet Minister Naomi Shaban, Assistant Minister Aden Sugow as well as Mithika Linturi (Igembe South MP).
KANU which has been known as the Kenya African National Union will retain its acronym but plans to change its name to the Kenya Alliance of National Unity and re-brand its offices countrywide after the delegates meeting.
Salat had on Tuesday told Capital News that the PNU alliance was a sinking ship that would not serve KANU’s interests.
He added that the PNU alliance lacked clarity of purpose and parties therefore risked their future survival if they continued hanging onto it.
“The PNU alliance was formed to assist the outgoing President and his absence, given that he was the flag bearer, is bound to make it irrelevant. His failure to endorse a candidate is another indication that PNU torch bearers will have to look for alternatives,” he noted.
Some of the parties set to merge with KANU include People’s Democratic Party, Shirikisho Party, Democratic Party and Ford People.
The party is also scheduled to announce the dates for its recruitment drive.
MPs have already started distancing themselves from the PNU alliance which is yet to be officially launched.
Last month, several MPs allied to the Party of National Unity snubbed a meeting meant to come up with rules of a joint nomination process and instead attended a meeting under the United Democratic Party Movement banner.
On the other hand Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has refurbished the former Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya, now Wiper Democratic Movement, as the country’s political temperatures continue rising.
It is not clear whether Internal Security Minister George Saitoti, who will also be vying for the top seat, will continue pushing his agenda through PNU.
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