Ngilu on Monday announced that she had ditched the Coalition for Reform and Democracy to join the Jubilee Alliance/CFM-File
United Republican Party chairman Francis Kaparo who is a member of the coalition said on Tuesday Ngilu’s candidacy cannot be discussed at this stage as she’s yet to sign any formal agreement with the TNA-UDF-URP alliance.
Kaparo stated so far, those guaranteed slots in the primaries are The National Alliance’s (TNA) Uhuru Kenyatta and Musalia Mudavadi of the United Democratic Forum (UDF) who signed a pre-election deal last week.
“As we speak now they are only three parties that have signed a coalition. We will talk about any other entrants when they come to the table. Until they come to the table, it remains speculation and I don’t want to speculate,” Kaparo told a news conference.
Ngilu had on Monday announced that she had ditched the Coalition for Reform and Democracy (CORD) to join Kenyatta, William Ruto, United Republican Party (URP) and Mudavadi, citing frustrations in the alliance that incorporates Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Trade Minister Moses Wetangula.
Making her move after a meeting with local leaders in Makueni, the Water and Irrigation Minister Indicated that she will battle it out with Kenyatta and Mudavadi in the Jubilee Alliance presidential nominations.
Her move came barely a week after she made a surprise appearance at the signing of the CORD alliance.
Ngilu’s defection to the Jubilee Alliance followed complaints by her party members that Narc was listed among ‘small’ parties that form CORD and that she was not assured of any prominent role or position.
Under the CORD agreement, only ODM, Wiper and Ford-Kenya were listed in the documents deposited with the Registrar of Political Parties.
The agreement between Odinga, Musyoka and Wetangula gives ODM, Wiper and Ford Kenya parties’ exclusive rights to field candidates in their strongholds.
Ngilu’s party was not part of the original deal signed by Kenyatta’s The National Alliance, United Democratic Forum of Mudavadi and William Ruto’s United Republican Party before the December 4 deadline, and this could lock her out of the nomination.
Kaparo at the same time stated that a team set up to organise the primaries was in the advanced stages of planning for the event.
“The process is on course and I do not foresee any obstacles in that regard. We are meeting our technical team immediately after the press conference,” Kaparo told a news conference.
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