Small parties in Mt Kenya asked to fold
Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui (left) with his Laikipia counterpart Ndiritu Muriithi during a rally in January. The ruling Jubilee wants them to fold their parties and rejoin it. Francis Nderitu | Nation
Small political parties in the Mt Kenya region that are affiliated to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja have been asked to fold and join the Jubilee Party.
The rejuvenated ruling party, which is led by President Uhuru Kenyatta, is racing against time in its quest to woo back defectors and members of small parties. Political outfits have until March 26 to submit their membership lists to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties.
Jubilee is rebuilding its support base amid spirited efforts by Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) to strengthen its grip on Mt Kenya.
The reinvention of the President’s party has rattled leaders of small parties in Mt Kenya who had accused the previous Jubilee secretariat of excluding politicians from the running of the party.
Mt Kenya leaders allied to the Head of State who had pulled out of Jubilee are among those being asked to abandon their parties and help in the rejuvenation of Jubilee. These include Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui of Ubuntu People’s Forum and Laikipia’s Ndiritu Muriithi of the Party of National Unity (PNU).
Jubilee’s Director of Elections and Kieni MP Kanini Kega told the Nation yesterday that they were negotiating with the various party leaders to rejoin the ruling party. He said they were focusing more on Laikipia and Nakuru.
“We are telling them to come back home. Governor Kinyanjui and Governor Muriithi should come back home so that they do not create confusion in our area. It is better to be in a bigger house for better coordination,” said Mr Kega.“Even if PNU signed a cooperation deal with Jubilee, they are scavenging on our votes.”
He argued that Jubilee risked losing to UDA in areas where its affiliates would also have aspirants.
Mr Kega, however, said they were banking on the Devolution Empowerment Party (DEP) of Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi to lock UDA out of Mt Kenya East.
Intelligence of voters
“We do not have a problem with Kiraitu Murungi’s DEP. He can handle the larger Meru and Embu, though we will still have candidates there,” he said.
In response, Mr Kinyanjui asked Jubilee to stop underestimating the intelligence of voters.
“Let the people decide their future. The voters have the capacity to make decisions that affect them,” said Mr Kinyanjui.
For Mr Murithi, besides expressing fears of a repeat of what he underwent in 2017 during the bungled Jubilee nominations, has set conditions that have to be met before he joins Jubilee. He complained that powerful individuals in President Kenyatta’s inner circle were out to frustrate his development initiatives.
“They need to keep their promises on the security infrastructure in Kirima sub-county and stop bureaucratic impediments to the floating of the Laikipia infrastructure bond,” said Mr Muriithi.
The Jubilee Party headquarters in Pangani, Nairobi, has been a beehive of activities, with Secretary-general Jeremiah Kioni and Mr Kega meeting delegations from different parts of the country every day. Kiambu MP Jude Njomo yesterday told the Nation that Jubilee’s presence was being felt after they started deconstructing the lies UDA had been spreading in their strongholds.
