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CECILY-MBARIRE. /FILE

Kenya

Mbarire hops off Kiraitu’s bus

Runyenjes legislator said she was angered by party elections held at the grassroots over the weekend /FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 16 – Tourism Assistant Minister Cecily Mbarire has left the newly formed Alliance Party of Kenya (APK  – whose symbol is a bus) saying it lacks internal democracy, integrity and transparency.

The Runyenjes legislator said she was angered by party elections held at the grassroots over the weekend saying they were unfair as her camp was locked out.

She accused the party leadership led by Cabinet Minister Kiraitu Murungi of failure to divulge crucial information to members, saying the party was being run “as a private business” by sidelining members.

 

Speaking at Kanja market during the opening of a Sh2.75 million maternity facility, Mbarire bitterly recounted how she helped found the Mt Kenya East Parliamentary Caucus which endorsed APK as the choice party for the region.

“We all joined hands to form the party to unite the Embu, Mbeere, Tharaka and Meru communities, so that we could speak in one voice, but now it seems there are a few leaders who want to take the party as if it is their own,” said the MP.

“The purported elections were a big sham where seats were dished out undemocratically and unfairly to benefit selfish interests of a few and finish others’ political careers,” she said.

The minister blamed her woes on unnamed politicians seeking various posts in Embu County who she said wanted to ensure she was locked out of any elective posts using the party.

“I have come to realise that the party register has been rearranged to favour other leaders and that party grassroots elections which were supposed to be competitive were conducted in hotels and individuals’ homes,” she claimed.

Mbarire, however, did not immediately announce the party on which she would defend her parliamentary seat.

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She also declared that she would continue to support Deputy Prime minister Uhuru Kenyatta.

“I speak in support of the deputy prime minister Uhuru Kenyatta on behalf of the Embu community, and we will stand by him to the end,” she insisted.

Mbarire was one of the 10 Members of Parliament from Meru, Tharaka-Nithi and Embu counties who had in December challenged all the presidential hopefuls running on PNU affiliate parties to join hands and seek nomination under the APK to cement unity.

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