The parties will deposit a coalition agreement with the Registrar of Political Parties/FILE
Kiraitu Murungi of the Alliance Party of Kenya, Mwangi Kiunjuri of the Grand National Union (GNU) and Amos Kimunya (Secretary General) of the Party of National Unity (PNU) endorsed Kenyatta of the National Alliance (TNA) as their preferred presidential candidate in Wednesday and agreed to hold joint campaigns.
Finance Minister Njeru Githae who spoke after a three-hour meeting at the Norfolk Hotel said that they had also mandated him to engage other like-minded leaders to ensure that the coalition wins the next general elections.
“We the undersigned party leaders have decided and agree to support the presidential candidature of Uhuru Kenyatta and to mandate home initiate discussions with other like-minded candidates,” Githae said.
“We have agreed to support and commit to one common manifesto, policy agenda and program of action to be implemented by the next government,” he pointed out.
The agreement further commits the parties to pursue issues relating to women, the youth and marginalised groups as well as emphasis on cohesion and national unity.
GNU leader Kiunjuri said that they were going to deposit a coalition agreement with the Registrar of Political Parties in the next two months to conform to the requirements of the Political Parties Act on coalitions.
Kenyatta, whose TNA party has been previously accused of bullying other parties within Central Kenya reiterated that TNA is always committed to dialogue.
He says that he is ready to work with other candidates and support one who beats him in a transparent nomination process.
“We (TNA) are always and I have always been open to negotiations with the view of finding an open transparent and acceptable mechanism to pick a candidate, I am willing to support any candidate who comes through such a process,” he insisted.
Earlier in June, Murungi, Kiunjuri and Joseph Munyao of the Democratic Party (DP) asserted that they are independent parties and that they will engage with TNA from a point of respect and as equals and will not heed to calls for dissolution.
The three, then said that they were in negotiations to work together for the next general election.
The DPM has been holding talks with Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa of New Ford Kenya on the prospect of them seeking the presidency on a joint ticket.
Kenyatta is also part of the G7 Alliance which brings together Eldoret North MP William Ruto of the United Republican Party (URP) and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka of Wiper Democratic Movement.
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